Saudi Interior Minister Prince Muhammad bin Naif has instructed the Ministry of Commerce and Industry to withdraw the popular Vendetta masks from the market.
Maj. Gen. Mansour Al-Turki, spokesman of the Interior Ministry, confirmed the report, saying the instructions have been passed to the ministry.
The masks are from the 2006 film V for Vendetta. It was worn by an enigmatic lone anarchist who uses Guy Fawkes as a role model in his quest to end the rule of a fictional fascist party in the United Kingdom.
Al-Madinah daily said the Commerce Ministry has directed its branch offices across the Kingdom to take away V masks from stores and destroy them.
“We have instructed all companies not to import such masks,” the ministry said.
Kingdom’s neighbor Bahrain has already banned V masks in the country.
The Interior Ministry provided no official explanation for the ban.
Interior Ministry bans 'V for Vendetta' masks
Interior Ministry bans 'V for Vendetta' masks
Saudi Arabia and Britain declare 2029 as cultural year
- The announcement coincides with Prince William’s visit to Saudi Arabia this week
- The Saudi-British partnership in 2029 will emphasize culture, education, collaborative efforts in heritage conservation, visual and culinary arts, and architecture
LONDON: The Saudi Ministry of Culture announced that 2029 will be designated as the “Saudi-British Cultural Year,” in partnership with the UK Department for Culture, Media and Sport.
The announcement on Wednesday coincides with Prince William’s visit to the Kingdom this week. The declaration highlights the strong bond between the two kingdoms, which is rooted in over a century of diplomatic relations, according to the Saudi Press Agency.
The Saudi-British partnership in 2029 will emphasize culture, education, and innovation, as well as collaborative efforts in heritage conservation, visual and culinary arts, and architecture.
In 2029, the emphasis will be on celebrating creative dialogue and cultural heritage to strengthen ties between Saudi Arabia and the UK for future generations, the SPA added.
Separately, Saudi Arabia will also host the next session of the UNESCO World Conference on Cultural Policies and Sustainable Development (MONDIACULT) in 2029. This global platform for cultural dialogue was first held in Mexico in 1982.
The initiatives are part of Vision 2030 and reflect Saudi Arabia’s latest efforts on national, regional, and international levels to reinforce the role of culture in sustainable development.
