Pro-democracy activists in Bahrain have burnt down a massive billboard advertising this weekend’s Formula One Grand Prix. The above photo, said to be taken on a main highway near Manama, was posted to twitter by Dr Ala’a Shehabi. She describes herself as: “Lecturer, writer, activist, driven by the ideology of social justice. I am persona non grata in a geographically misplaced island called Bahrain.”
In addition to the billboard burning, it’s being reported that hundreds of protesters have followed the advice of the opposition party AlWefaq and started to wage a week-long protest in the build up to Sunday’s race.
Abdel Jalil Khalil, AlWefaq leader, told AFP that the party it is not trying to have the grand prix cancelled, but to “take advantage of this week’s race to highlight our political and democratic demands.”
Under the banner of “steadfastness and challenge” protesters will concentrate on villages outside Manama tomorrow, including the Bahrain International Airport, AFP reports.
Bahrain’s race organisers have been promoting the event with the words “Unified: One nation in celebration” (see banner below).
Human Rights Watch spokesperson Tom Porteous has reacted to the FIA’s confirmation to proceed with the race by saying, “The FIA has played into the government’s narrative to gloss over Bahrain’s continuing human rights crisis.”
Porteous added, “the ruling family will attempt to portray today’s decision as a political statement of support for its repressive policies.”
It certainly appears as though Formula One is being used by Bahrain’s constitutional monarchy to suggest everything is fine and dandy. Indirectly this would appear to contradict Bernie Ecclestone’s comments on Friday: “I’m happy that our position is quite clear. We don’t get involved in politics in a country.”
But what if that country is using F1 for political gain?
