Protesters stormed the Baghdad offices of #Saudi broadcaster MBC early this morning. Between 400 and 500 demonstrators attacked the studio following a report that labelled Hamas chief Yahya Sinwar and Iraqi resistance factions ‘terrorists.’ The activists have called for a ban on… pic.twitter.com/YmiZo36Iau
— Middle East Monitor (@MiddleEastMnt) October 19, 2024
Hundreds of rioters in Iraq have raided and ransacked the offices affiliated with a Saudi news channel, after it aired a programme linking the late leader of Palestinian group Hamas and other militant groups in the region with “terrorism”.
On Friday, an excerpt from a report by Saudi broadcaster MBC went viral on social media for linking together a number of militant groups in the region under the label of “terrorism”. That list included Palestinian group Hamas, calling out figures such as former leader Ismail Haniyeh and his late successor Yahya Sinwar, who it referred to as the “new face of terrorism”.
Since his killing in a gunfight against Israeli occupation forces in southern Gaza this week, Sinwar has been extensively mourned across the region by people with a wide range of political stances, viewing the late Hamas leader as a heroic figure who died in battle on the frontlines while fighting against the occupation.
READ: Sinwar chose life on the front lines and proved to be a ‘lion’ to the very end
The MBC report drew much criticism not only online but also on the streets of Baghdad, with 400 and 500 people having reportedly attacked the studios of a production company which works for the Saudi broadcaster in the Iraqi capital.
According to an unnamed source in Iraq’s Interior Ministry who spoke to the news agency AFP, the rioters “wrecked the electronic equipment, the computers, and set fire to a part of the building”. The fire was reportedly soon put out and the crowds dispersed by police.
Aside from the ransacking of those offices, there have also been reported threats of legal action against MBC, with Iraqi lawmaker Mustafa Sanad stating on X that “the issue does not end with destruction or burning” of its offices. Telling the broadcaster that “there is no place for you in Iraq”, he vowed to work to “cancel the licence” of the channel in the country.