The analysis of these various images of parades of supporters indicates that they were broadcast on or after November 11. Some of these videos mention in their captions the city of Lusail and more specifically the “Corniche”. It is a place located by the sea 15 km north of the center of Doha.
A search in the dispatches of the Agence France Presse (AFP) makes it possible to find elements which make it possible to know more about the organization of this parade. Here is the content of one of them, published by the agency on Friday evening, November 11: “Qatar: thousands of migrant workers parade to celebrate the World Cup“.
Thousands of migrant workers marched on Friday (note, November 11, 2022) in Doha, wearing the colors of the teams of Argentina, Brazil or the United Kingdom, to celebrate the World Cup nine days before the FIFA World Cup. football, according to an AFP correspondent on the spot.
This is a rare event in this small Gulf emirate, where gatherings are generally not tolerated, especially in the heart of the capital.
“The police were informed in advance“, told AFP one of the organizers of this march, who requested anonymity. Members of the police also framed the parade of supporters, wearing blue and white jerseys of the Argentina or Brazilian yellows.The parade passed in front of the royal palace, where it is usually forbidden to take photos.
Migrants represent more than 80% of Qatar’s 2.8 million inhabitants. They are mainly from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, but also from the Philippines and African countries such as Kenya and Uganda. This rich gas state is regularly criticized by NGOs for the treatment of hundreds of thousands of migrant workers on the major construction sites of the World Cup (November 20-December 18), whose organization has highlighted the breaches of their rights and led to reforms from 2018.
“Foreign workers in Qatar love football and they have bought a large number of tickets“for the World Cup, said the organizer again. “It’s a day of joy for us”rejoices Rajesh, one of the supporters on the spot. “It’s not about politics, we’re only going to sing for football, especially for Lionel Messi.”
“This is our freedom of expression”, says Aju, another supporter of the Argentine team. “The working conditions are of course difficult […] but the Mondial is a unique event.”
At the end of August, the Qatari authorities expelled dozens of foreign workers who blocked traffic in front of the company they worked for to claim their unpaid wages. They were accused of having “violates public safety laws“.