Saddam beach

Initially, the village was called Tipu-Sultan Beach in honor of Tipu Sultan (Prince Mysore ), who pursued an aggressive policy against the British colonial forces in the late 18th century ^[2] . After the outbreak of war in the Persian Gulf, the villagers decided to rename their settlement, as they supported the actions of Saddam Hussein. Residents of the village, mostly Muslims , argue that they were inspired by Saddam's struggle against United States policy ^[3] .

The renaming of the village caused a wide public outcry. Residents of the village have repeatedly expressed admiration for Saddam's anti-imperialist position. The American invasion of Iraq was met with great condemnation in the village. In 2003 , the residents of the village were annoyed by the renaming of “Saddam Hussein International Airport” to “ Baghdad International Airport ”, in protest, they placed a large cloth on the beach with the inscription “Welcome to Saddam Beach!” ^[4] . During the battle of Baghdad , anti-American and anti-British demonstrations took place in the village. Goods produced in these countries were boycotted, and some were thrown into the sea. Many of the villagers who worked in the Gulf countries were forced to return to Saddam Beach because jobs were lost due to the consequences of the Iraq war, which further aggravated the hostility towards the West ^[5] . Large portraits and posters of Saddam, along with Iraqi flags, were displayed along the road by local residents, in support of the Iraqi leader ^[3] .

In November 2006, residents reacted negatively to the death sentence of Saddam Hussein by staging a rally in which they criticized US President George W. Bush . About fifty people, including women and children, took part in the protest ^[6] .

On December 30, 2006 , angry supporters of Saddam Hussein gathered on the beach and shouted slogans condemning US President George W. Bush, describing the execution of his idol as a “cruel act.” ^[7]