The NFL fines a Azeez Al-Shaair for wearing the name of a Palestinian girl killed by Israel
Azeez Al-Shaair of the Houston Texans will have to pay $11,492 for displaying the name of Hind Rajab, the 5-year-old girl killed by Israel whose story made it to the Oscars
NFL player Azeez Al-Shaair was fined more than $11,000 for displaying the name of a Palestinian girl killed by Israeli forces on a face strip, during the game in which his team, the Houston Texans, faced the Buffalo Bills.
The player had written "Hind Rajab" on that black paint, the name of the five-year-old girl whose murder in Gaza in 2024, after Israeli troops fired at her family's disabled car, was the subject of a documentary that is nominated for the Oscars.
According to NFL regulations, displaying personal messages of any kind, including political statements, is prohibited, during games. Thus, an NFL spokesperson confirmed that the fine imposed on Azeez Al-Shaair amounted to $11,941 for that infraction.
It is not the first time that 29-year-old Al-Shaair has spoken out about the situation in Gaza. "I feel like it’s something they’re trying to silence," he told the "Houston Chronicle" in 2024. Al-Shaair received a similar fine in January for displaying the message "stop the genocide".
Kyrie Irving offered to pay the fine
Other athletes, such as Dallas Mavericks player Kyrie Irving, showed their support for Al-Shaair and offered to personally pay the football player's fine . "I'll cover his fine," Irving posted on social media.
Irving has also been a prominent figure in the public demonstration of support for Palestinians, posting on social media about the needs of Palestinian children and wearing T-shirts in tribute to the journalists killed in Gaza.
