A prominent local mosque in East London has condemned Dagenham & Redbridge FC over the sacking of pro-Palestine Arab influencer Salma Mashhour and urged the club to reverse the decision amid accusations of “racism.”
The Darul Ihsaan masjid in Barking, London, emailed a complaint on behalf of the members and congregation voicing their outrage at the clubs decision to sack their first ever Arab director after just three days in the post.
The club announced her removal on April 17 in a short vague statement released on their website.
Although the club has not yet revealed the exact reason for her dismissal, a petition calling for her sacking shared an update celebrating the move after expressing fury over past social media comments by Mashhour which condemned Israel and defended Palestinians right to “resistance.”
The letter sent to the Redbridge football club explained how the clubs reputation went from positive among local Muslims to abysmal in just a few short days.
“The members of Darul Ihsaan Barking were encouraged by your initial steps towards broader community involvement with the appointment of Salma Mashhour and involvement of Marwan Serry.
“We saw this as a promising sign of Dagenham and Redbridge truly becoming the inclusive Community Club you aspire to be. Football is for everyone.
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“Therefore, we were deeply dismayed to learn of the dismissal of the Director of Development and Engagement, particularly following pressure from vocal anti-Arab lobby groups. This action casts a shadow over the club’s commitment to inclusivity and raises serious questions about its values.”The mosque’s message also urged the club to reverse the decision and to not allow anti-Arab discrimination to poison the clubs image.
“Racist voices do not represent the diverse and vibrant community of Dagenham. The club needs to change direction and embrace it’s local people.
“We urge the club to reconsider its recent decision, reaffirm its commitment to inclusivity, equality, and actively engage with all its local people. Embracing inclusivity is not only the right thing to do, but it will also strengthen the club both on and off the pitch.”
The petition calling for Salma Mashhour’s sacking only managed to garner 558 signatures, however, it is believed that the club leadership faced additional pressure from a minority of pro-Israel fans and some pro-Israel media platforms too regarding the matter.
A protest by local student and Palestine activists groups has also been declared for Sunday 20 April, adding further spotlight to the row.
Arabic and Egyptian media have picked up on the story and Egyptian businessman Marwan Serry, who invested in the club alongside Mashhour’s appointment as director, announced he was ditching the club following the announcement.
In a video posted by Mr Serry on Instagram following the sacking, Mr Serry claimed that racism by a minority of fans may have contributed towards the incident.
Mr Serry also claimed that he and Mrs Mashhour were looking at legal options going forward but did not clarify if a legal suit would be filed.
Mrs Mashhour’s comments has led to her being accused by pro-Israel press of expressing support for the proscribed Palestinian group Hamas.
However, her supporters believe she was simply expressing a view which is held by millions of Muslims and Arabs all across the globe – that Israel is an apartheid state, the war on Gaza is a genocide, and that Israel’s killing of civilians will inspire Palestinian children to seek vengeance on their occupier.
5Pillars has reached out to Dagenham & Redbridge FC for comment on the story and to clarify whether they have adopted an official pro-Israel stance as a club. So far they have not responded.
