"Free all Saudi prisoners" - Controversial banner flies over St James' Park during Newcastle United vs Arsenal clash
As Newcastle United and Arsenal locked horns in a tense Premier League match at St James' Park on Sunday, a controversial banner flew over the stadium. The incident took place on Sunday, May 7, and was reported by the Daily Mail.
The demonstration was staged against the backdrop of Newcastle's financial backing from Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF). The fund notably acquired a controlling stake in the club following a 2021 takeover.
The Saudi regime has come under fire from human rights organizations for numerous alleged violations. These include the exploitation of migrant workers, criminalizing the LGBTQ+ community, and the imprisonment and torture of individuals opposing the government.
With the bold statement "Free all Saudi prisoners," the banner drew attention to the SANAD organisation – an acronym for Standing Against Nefarious and Arbitrary Detentions.
SANAD's mission, as stated on their website (via Daily Mail), is:
"To let the world know about detainees behind bars in Saudi Arabia and the violations committed against them for their human rights activism, expressing their opinions, or demanding their legitimate right to freedom of speech."
The PIF's acquisition was only approved after the Premier League received legally binding assurances that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia had zero control over the club's affairs. However, calls for the league to investigate the £305 million takeover were renewed last month.
This follows Newcastle chairman Yasir Al Rumayyan's identification as a sitting minister of the Saudi government in a document submitted to a US court.
Amnesty International urges Premier League to re-examine Newcastle's Saudi ownership
Fresh concerns have arisen over the connection between Newcastle's Saudi owners and the Middle East state. A recently filed court document in the United States has fueled questions about the level of separation between the Saudi state and the Public Investment Fund (PIF). The PIF is governed by Yasir Al Rumayyan.
In a court case involving the PGA Tour and LIV Golf, a brief described the PIF as "a sovereign instrumentality of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia," and Al Rumayyan as "a sitting minister of the Saudi government."
In response to these revelations, human rights group Amnesty International is urging the league to probe further into Newcastle's ownership.
Peter Frankental, Amnesty UK's economic affairs director, expressed skepticism about the Saudi state's non-involvement in Newcastle's buyout (via Sky Sports):
"It was always stretching credulity to breaking point to imagine that the Saudi state wasn't directing the buyout of Newcastle with the ultimate aim of using the club as a component in its wider sportswashing efforts."
He added:
"The Premier League will surely need to re-examine the assurances made about the non-involvement of the Saudi authorities in the Newcastle deal, not least as there's still a Qatari bid for Manchester United currently on the table."