A UK casting agency has been offering actors money to take part in an “anti-Qatar event” outside Downing Street during a meeting between Theresa May and the ruler of the Arab country.
The Independent reports that they have seen an email sent to extras offering £20 per person to take part in the supposed protest from 11am until 12.30pm on Tuesday, just before Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani is due to arrive at No 10.
Extra People told The Independent it was “contacted by an individual” to “source people” for the event, but refused to reveal the identity of the client.
A spokesperson said the agency decided to cancel the project having begun “to understand what the hirer was asking of our artistes and the event involved” after “receiving further information”.
“We quickly made the decision to withdraw our involvement and wish to have no association with the event,” he added.
The planned event comes amid a visit to Britain by Mr al-Thani aimed at promoting Qatar in the face of a year-long blockade by four neighbouring states – Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Bahrain.
They accuse Qatar of funding Islamist terrorism, supporting extremists and fostering ties with Saudi’s arch-rival Iran.
Qatar in turn has accused Saudi Arabia, its biggest neighbour, of “bullying” and risking a new conflict amid the ongoing diplomatic crisis.
Source Credit: The independent
