Newcastle fans confront sportwashing protestors at Saudi Arabia friendly outside St James Park

Newcastle fans took to confront sportwashing protestors at the latest Saudi Arabia friendly outside St James Park on Friday night.

‘NUFC Fans Against Sportswashing’ held a protest and put up banners which showed the faces of young men they believe to be held as political prisoners out in Saudi Arabia.

This was on display with police officers at the scene just in case of trouble playing out ahead of the nation’s friendly at the Premier League side’s ground.

Newcastle was purchased in October 2021 by PIF, Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund with the operation much discussed, because the fund guaranteed that the Saudi government would have no say in the management of the club.

Riyadh is accused of various human rights violations: from the repression of dissent to political murder, from the denial of women’s rights to those of the LGBTQ+ community, to the widespread use of torture and the death penalty.

Adam Pearson, a ‘full time Newcastle United YouTuber’, was at the ground, getting the protest on camera.

Adam says in his latest video, as can be seen below: “Hey guys and welcome back as you just saw in our intro clip there some Newcastle United fans actually turn up to the protest group outside St James’s Park I’m confronted the NUFC fans against sportswashing group.

“The group was outside St James’s Park because Saudi Arabia play their first of two national team matches outside the stadium and they wanted to express their thoughts their beliefs and their ideologies and what their personal believe Newcastle United should be.

“I went to see how Newcastle fans were interacting with the protests the quite heated interest in debates I felt like it was actually fascinating to see how fans believed towards this.

“Now I must say straight away obviously some of the younger Newcastle fans there were just taking the piss but for me I wanted to be fair I wanted to show you everything that I captured from the event now.

“If you remember watching my last video about this group you would know that I got a personal problem with John and some of the things he said about X players and his football club as a whole which I will discuss in the outro of this video…”

Newcastle United fans confronted the sport washing protest group outside St James Park vlog will be on the channel tomorrow

The “NUFC fans against sports washing” refused to be interviewed when asked by me #NUFC pic.twitter.com/56bI9T6ysH

— Adam Pearson (YT) ⚫️⚪️ (@AdamP1242) September 8, 2023

the other angle is worse 😭 pic.twitter.com/yNDSH7BbXV

— Evie (@EFCeviee) September 9, 2023

As per Chronicle Live, one fan said the use of St James’ Park by the Saudi Arabia national team amounted to allowing the Saudi regime to “use the club, the region, the city” to “deflect attention” from reported human rights abuses.

The NUFC Fans Against Sportswashing group were present showing the young men they said were placed on death row in the Middle-Eastern state “for demonstrating”.

In the week, human rights activist Lina al-Hathloul urged Newcastle fans to protest against the football club’s majority shareholders, the Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund.

But still, the venue will play host for two Saudi Arabia international football friendlies at St James’ Park, only putting more attention to the connection between the football club’s ownership and the Saudi regime, despite the Premier League saying the Saudi government would have no control over the club – only for this to raise further questions.

Ms al-Hathoul doesn’t believe it, calling it a “lie”, with Newcastle chairman and PIF governor Yasir Al-Rumayyan being called a “a sitting minister of the government” in a US court case which involved LIV Golf.

The report by Chronicle Live adds that Newcastle MP Chi Onwurah will “raise the human rights abuses of the Saudi regimes by all means open to me”.

Before Friday’s game, John Hird of the NUFC Fans Against Sportswashing Group said: “We’re here today because we think having a Saudi international here – a Saudi sportswashing international – is a bridge too far.

“Not just for us as a campaign but for a lot of Newcastle United fans. Ok lots of people accept that Newcastle are owned by the Saudi regime and they don’t see any alternative, but this is too much. It’s allowing them to use the club, the region, the city as a giant billboard to deflect attention away from their many crimes.”

John claims the stadium is situated on land owned by Newcastle City Council, but the latter stated they have “no power to intervene” when it came to what was held at the stadium.

John adds: “The guys from the campaign Newcastle United Fans Against Sportswashing are holding pictures of young men – minors – who were arrested when they were 13 and 14 yeas old, for demonstrating, mostly.” He claimed those pictured had been subject to torture, seen their families threatened, and remained on death row. He said: “We don’t think our club, our ground, should be used as a way of deflecting attention from that.

“We have nothing against the Saudi fans here, nothing against the Saudi players – but we are against the regime using and abusing their ownership of our club.”

Lina al-Hathloul said to the Local Democracy Reporting Service earlier this week: “The Saudis care about their image. Fans speaking about things, tweeting about violations can have an impact. For my sister, it worked – there was so much pressure that they released her.”

Meanwhile, Labour councillor Jane Byrne, who is a member of the city council’s cabinet, said she’s “very concerned” with the current situation and adds: “Newcastle is a city of sanctuary and I have spoken with Lina about ways in which we can work with her to highlight these issues. We are very happy to speak out in support of human rights.”

This is what Twitter users said on Newcastle fans taking to confront sportwashing protestors at the Saudi Arabia friendly outside St James Park…

@SCARFYYYY: christ

@loss_barry: Gets absolutely ribboned by the old boy.

@GMSAFC_1989_: Trying to take the piss out of an old bloke, who stands his own and puts them all to shame 🤣🤣 embarrassing little helmets

@OhSoSpurs: What stands out here is how the protestor is being reasonable and peaceful. He acknowledges the wider context and history of the UK. The Newcastle fans shouting him down seem incredibly defensive and don’t allow him to explain himself once though. It would have been nice to hear the protestor have an opportunity to explain his points around sports washing and the issues. Seems like the people shouting him down are defensive because deep down they know it’s wrong but don’t want to burst their happy bubble after years and years of misery under owners who starved their club.

@FinnWHU: Wow this is embarrassing 😂😂

@SSE_LTFC: This video is surreal.

@FinnWHU: “you shouldn’t be protesting, we’re all here to enjoy watching the Saudis play” WHAT 😭😭😭

@UsainZeus88: He is absolutely right to protest. Ridiculous if you are trying to undermine the points he is raising.

@GeordieLad93: Please don’t upload this it’s embarrassing and just makes our fanbase look awful

@danrsvilla: The whataboutery in this video is next level! You can think multiple things are wrong you know! Just because the Geordie’s have been blinded by the money for their club it doesn’t mean everyone has to be blinded by it

@camer0n_mcd: Not sure this is the win you think it is. An embarrassing look for Newcastle fans

@Carl_M79: This is disgusting really. Newcastle fans should be ashamed of themselves.

@10Swampmonster: 100% respect their right to protest. Only the government has any sort of audience with the Saudi regime. Not any football governing body, football club, football manager or football fans. And none including our own government could change one single thing in Saudi Arabia.

@KyleUtterson5: These people are so rude they dont evem give him the chance to speak its disgusting

@Mark74NUFC: The people in this video having a go at him don’t come across well at all. None of them are listening to him and they’re all talking over him. You can hear him saying that he doesn’t exclusively protest against the Saudis!

@AndyLopata: Good on him. None of them want to put their hands up and admit that they put football above morals. It’s their right, but at least have the honesty to own up to it.

@ProbablySid: They’ve a right to protest and it seems they are taking that right. I’m happy we as a club are doing well, but if I’m being perfectly honest I’d rather the fanbase not actively go out of their way to defend Saudi Arabia

@adamgradwell: Jesus wept. No wonder he refused. He has a right to protest. Not a good look this.

@Daniel_NUFC__: First kids a right whopper Jesus Christ