‘Stop killing my people’: UAE ruler confronted in London over ‘role in Sudan genocide’

Dubai ruler and United Arab Emirates (UAE) Prime Minister (PM) Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al-Maktoum was confronted by a Sudanese man while walking through London’s Knightsbridge area over the UAE’s alleged involvement in the Sudan war.

A video posted on Sunday showed the man shouting at Al-Maktoum and members of his entourage from across the road.

“Emiratis and UAE, they’re killing Sudanese people,” the man said in the video. “UAE is killing people in my country. Stop killing my people.”

A man who appeared to be part of Al-Maktoum’s entourage then responds with racial abuse, saying, “Fk you, fk you and fk your people… Motherfer, black b*ch.”

The Sudanese man then asked, “You said black?” to which the other man responded, “Shut the f**k up,” before crossing the road towards him.

“Stop killing Sudanese,” the Sudanese man said. He also referred to UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed, saying, “Emirati and UAE they’re killing Sudanese people. They are killing people in my country. Mohammed bin Zayed, they are killing people in my country.”

The confrontation comes days after Emirati media reported that Mohammed bin Zayed had met Al-Maktoum at the Jumeirah Carlton Tower Hotel in London on Thursday.

The meeting was described as a “fraternal meeting that reflected the enduring bonds of unity, mutual respect and shared values that define the UAE’s leadership”.

The UAE has denied supporting Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), but the United States (UN), human rights groups and media reports have documented alleged arms transfers to the group through networks operating in Libya, Chad and Somaliland.

The RSF has been accused by the UN and the United States (US) of committing genocide during the conflict, which began in April 2023.

Earlier this year, reports also revealed the use of an Ethiopian army base in support of the RSF. Western countries, including the UK, have faced accusations of failing to publicly challenge the UAE’s alleged involvement in the conflict.

Figures linked to the Emirati leadership and analysts who support the UAE have also acknowledged the country’s support for the RSF and its leader Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo.

Emirati academic and former adviser to Mohammed bin Zayed, Abdulkhaleq Abdulla, previously criticised what he called the “singling out” of the UAE over its support for the RSF, noting that the group “has support from Uganda, from Ethiopia, from Chad”.