As part of a crackdown against homosexuality, Saudi Arabian officials are seizing rainbow-colored toys and apparel from establishments in the capital, according to state television. The products targeted, according to a report carried on Tuesday evening by the state-run Al-Ekhbariya news channel, include rainbow-colored ribbons, skirts, hats, and pencil bags, the bulk of which appear to be aimed at young children.
‘We are offering a tour of the things that defy Islamic religion and public morality and encourage homosexuality, aimed at the younger generation,’ said a Commerce Ministry official participating in the campaign.
A journalist, gesticulating towards a rainbow flag, states, ‘The gay flag is visible in one of Riyadh’s marketplaces.’ According to the paper, the colours transmit a ‘toxic message’ to youngsters. Homosexuality is a potential death offence in Saudi Arabia, which is infamous for its strict interpretation of Islamic Sharia law, which serves as the cornerstone of the whole legal system.
The kingdom revealed in April that it had asked Disney to delete ‘LGBTQ undertones’ from Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, the most recent Marvel film, but Disney had refused. In the end, the film was not screened in Saudi theatres. According to a Disney source, the film Lightyear, which features a same-sex kiss, has been banned in Saudi Arabia and more than a dozen other countries, though Riyadh has not commented on the topic.
Stills from Doctor Strange and allegedly foreign youngsters waving rainbow flags were also aired in Tuesday’s Al-Ekhbariya programme. The story did not specify how many firms were targeted or what was seized in the Commerce Ministry operation, and Saudi officials did not reply to an AFP request for comment on Wednesday.
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