Protesters demand justice for Khashoggi murder outside Saudi crown prince's New York charity event

Protesters demand justice for Khashoggi murder outside Saudi crown prince's New York charity event
With almost a year since the murder of Saudi Journalist, Jamal Khashoggi, protesters rallied against the Saudi Prince's attempt to save face.
2 min read
24 September, 2019
Protesters gathering outside the White House to protest Khashoggi murder [Getty Images]
Protesters crowded the doorstep of the luxury venue in Manhattan to slam an event hosted by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's charity, criticising the kingdom's human rights records. 

The prince's MiSK Foundation was due to hold a workshop for young entrepreneurs in an effort to repair the Saudi royal family's reputation.

"Justice for Jamal" read the placards held high on the streets of Manhattan, as reported by Al Jazeera, broadcasting the monarch’s involvement in the killing of Saudi Arabian journalist, Jamal Khashoggi. 

"It's not even been a year since a US resident, Saudi dissident and journalist was lured out of the United States and in a premeditated and brazen way, murdered," policy chief for the campaign group Human Rights First, Rob Berschinski, told the broadcaster.

The writer entered the Saudi consulate in Istanbul almost a year ago to collect documents regarding his planned wedding, but was believed to have been murdered by Saudi agents at the office and his body dismembered. 

UN human rights experts found "credible evidence" to believe the crown prince was linked to the journalist's murder. 

Since the murder, the crown prince has been eager to tackle bad press which is expected to increase with the first anniversary of Khashoggi's death on 2 October. 

Similar criticism arose from human rights groups against the New York Public Library after it accepted funding from Prince MOhammed to host a MiSK workshop.

When stating they would end their ties with the foundation, the library said it cancelled the event due to "concerns about possible disruption to library operations as well as the safety of our patrons".

Other US groups followed to break ties with the MiSK foundation, such as the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and the Harvard University Extension School.