Peter Tatchell Praises Football Australia Following World Cup Rights Protest In Qatar
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Veteran Australian British LGBTIQIA+ activist Peter Tatchell has praised Football Australia and the Socceroos national football team for their unambiguous stand on the rights of sexual minorities at the World Cup following his arrest in Qatar last week.
Tatchell was detained outside the National Museum of Qatar in Doha after he held up a placard reading, “Qatar arrests, jails & subjects LGBTs to ‘conversion’ #QatarAntiGay” for just over half an hour before he came to the attention of state security agents who quickly directed Qatari police to his location.
Police took his passport from him and prevented him from leaving for about an hour and forced his colleague Simon Harris to delete images and video of the protest from his mobile phone before they were eventually allowed to leave.
“A government spokesman actually said I wasn’t arrested. It was a ‘friendly conversation and we released him very shortly afterwards,’ or words to that effect. When they say ‘released me,’ that implies correctly that I was being detained against my will,” says Tatchell.
“I was held together with my colleague from the Peter Tatchell Foundation, Simon Harris, for a total of 49 minutes outside the National Museum of Qatar. We were not free to leave. The police confiscated our passports. They also took Simon’s mobile phone and deleted all the photos and videos of the protest. But fortunately, he had [already] uploaded some and sent them to London.
“We were told that such protests were illegal, and could potentially have very serious consequences. I know from other people who’ve protested in Qatar, that the normal response to any protest is the arrest and imprisonment of the people involved. I only got away with not being locked up because I had a Western passport and had received the intervention of the British consular staff in Doha.
“In the run up to the World Cup, the Qatari authorities are very keen to project a benign, liberal image. So they treated me much more lightly then they would have, say a year ago, or in a year’s time. My biggest fear is that once the World Cup is over, and the international media has moved on, there is likely to be intensified repression of LGBTs in Qatar.”
Tatchell travelled to Australia after leaving Qatar and has used his visit to Sydney to praise Football Australia and the Socceroos for their unequivocable stand on LGBTIQIA+ rights at the World Cup, with 16 current and former team members releasing a video on Wednesday in which they expressed solidarity with LGBTIQ+ people and migrant workers in Qatar.
“We stand with FIFPro, the Building and Wood Workers International, and the International Trade Union Confederation, seeking to embed reforms and establish a lasting legacy in Qatar,” the players state in the video.
“This must include establishing a migrant resource centre, effective remedy for those who have been denied their rights, and the decriminalisation of all same-sex relationships.
“These are the basic rights that should be afforded to all and will ensure continued progress in Qatar… [and] a legacy that goes well beyond the final whistle of the 2022 FIFA World Cup.”
Football Australia released a statement supporting the actions of the national team.
“Football Australia has… been working closely with LGBTI+ communities to continue strengthening our inclusive and welcoming environment in our game throughout Australia,” part of the statement reads.
“As the most multicultural, diverse, and inclusive sport in our country, we believe everyone should be able to feel safe and be their true, authentic selves. Whilst we acknowledge the highest levels of assurances given by HH Amir of Qatar and the President of FIFA that LGBTI+ fans will be safely welcomed in Qatar, we hope that this openness can continue beyond the tournament.”
Tatchell said that the Socceroos’ statements on LGBTIQIA+ rights at the World Cup should be an example for the European team captains who have pledged to wear multicoloured One Love armbands during the tournament that do not feature the rainbow pride colours.
“The One Love armband is not actually an LGBT+ rainbow,” Tatchell said.
“It’s a mishmash, I think deliberately designed to avoid criticism that the teams are promoting LGBT+ rights. Moreover, the armband itself is very vague messaging.”
“Most fans and TV viewers will not know what it means or is supposed to represent. This is fairly low-level gesture politics. What needs to happen is for national teams around the world, to follow the example of the Socceroos by making a clear public statement in support of the human rights of LGBTs, women and migrant workers. “
“So far, Football Australia is the only governing body in the world that’s done this. I’m also appealing to team captains to set aside just 30 seconds during their post-match press conferences, to speak out against Qatar’s abuse of human rights. It’s a really easy thing to do and will reach a global audience of hundreds of millions of people. That’s what we need to galvanise global opinion against the dictatorship in Doha.”
The FIFA World Cup is being held from November 20 to December 18 in Qatar this year.
You can find out more about the Peter Tatchell Foundation and Peter’s activism here.
