Egyptian co-owner of Dagenham and Redbridge FC steps down after club dismisses staff member 'for pro-Palestine posts'

The newly appointed Egyptian content creator and co-owner of the UK’s Dagenham and Redbridge Football Club has stepped down from his role and expressed shock and anger over the dismissal of one of the club’s staff members, allegedly for her pro-Palestine posts.

Marwan Serry first called out the club on Thursday in videos posted to his social media platforms, where he called on fans attending a match at the club to boycott it over the sacking of Salma Mashhour, the club’s director of development and engagement.

Mashhour was removed from the position 72 hours later in a statement from the club, which many pointed out came after she posted a video on her social media where she called Israel an "illegal apartheid state".

In the video, Serry says he was not aware of the decision to dismiss Mashhour and did not know anything about the situation.

"This is not acceptable and is not something I will be silent about. I will inform you about all the official steps I am going to take soon, but please, no one go to the match tomorrow and anyone who has purchased a ticket I will personally refund you," he says in a TikTok video that has since racked up over nine million views.

He adds that he was not in any way responsible for the decision and will keep people updated on developments.

In a follow-up announcement from Serry, he explains, "exactly two days ago, I became one of the official owners of the English Dagenham and Redbridge club, as one of the investors, and today I am officially and clearly leaving the club and I have no connection to the club".

He then states that Mashhour became a scapegoat for many of the club’s problems, which they wanted to cover up.

"This is because of her principles and because of racism…we have taken all the legal steps that we are supposed to. In the end, we will remain in the right and stick to our principles".

Mashhour issued a statement on Sunday on her social media platforms, where she thanked her fans and expressed shock at the situation.

"What happened was a shock because I was accused of things very important to me, like my principles and humanity…I was getting threatened and people were tagging the police," she said.

"What happened will also do damage to my reputation, my life and work in the UK so if I rights I will pursue them," she added.

Activists and campaigners online said the decision from the club allegedly took place following complaints from Zionists over Mashhour’s support for Palestine.

Among those levelling criticism at the club is an east London Mosque, Darul Ihsaan, who complained to the club for firing Mashhour.

"The members of Darul Ihsaan Barking were encouraged by your initial steps towards broader community involvement with the appointment of Salma Mashhour and involvement of Marwan Serry," the complaint reads.

"We were deeply dismayed to learn of the dismissal of the Director of Development and Engagement, particularly following pressure from vocal anti-Arab lobby groups. This action casts a shadow over the club’s commitment to inclusivity and raises serious questions about its values," it adds.

The statement from the club did not reveal the reason behind the firing. The New Arab reached out to them for comment, but did not receive a response by the time of publication.

A recent petition with 550 supporters calls on the club to dismiss Serry and Mashhour, criticising the pair.

The petition cites a now-deleted post from Mashhour from October 2023, which states, "occupation creates resistance, Israel created Hamas, and self-defence is not terrorism. I condemn the brutal occupation, apartheid, international law violations and illegal settlements that created this genocide. If this is terrorism, then you created it".

The firing of Mashhour comes amid Israel’s ongoing war on Gaza, which has been labelled a genocide by leading rights groups, including Amnesty International.

At least 61,700 Palestinians have been killed since October 2023, Gaza’s government media office states, while the enclave has been plunged into a deep humanitarian crisis.