Rainbow toys seized in Saudi ‘homosexuality’ crackdown
- Items targeted in raids include rainbow-coloured bows, hats and pencil cases – the colours send a ‘poisoned message’ to children, a local news report said
- The conservative kingdom regularly attracts scrutiny for its human rights record, including its outlawing of homosexuality, a potential capital offence
Officials in Saudi Arabia are seizing rainbow-coloured toys and articles of clothing from shops in the capital as part of a crackdown on homosexuality, state media reported.
The conservative kingdom opened up to tourism in 2019 but, like other Gulf countries, regularly attracts scrutiny for its human rights record, including its outlawing of homosexuality, a potential capital offence.
Items targeted in the recent raids include rainbow-coloured bows, skirts, hats and pencil cases, most of them apparently manufactured for young children, according to a report broadcast Tuesday evening by the state-run Al-Ekhbariya news channel.
“We are giving a tour of the items that contradict the Islamic faith and public morals and promote homosexual colours targeting the younger generation,” says an official from the commerce ministry, which is involved in the campaign.
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Gesturing towards a rainbow flag, a journalist says: “The homosexuality flag is present in one of the Riyadh markets.” The colours send a “poisoned message” to children, the report says.
The report did not detail how many establishments were targeted or items seized in the commerce ministry operation, and Saudi officials did not respond to a request for comment on Wednesday.