Crowds at LIV Golf event in Bolton, Massachusetts, mostly ignore protests of Saudi financing

LANCASTER, Mass. — Art Shaughnessy and his son, Donovan, stood in a line of people at the Bolton Fairgrounds, waiting to board shuttle buses Friday morning to The International golf club.

It's the latest tournament stop in the new LIV Golf professional golf series that is receiving a lot of attention.

Not only for its big-name stars like Phil Mickelson and Cameron Smith — the second-ranked golfer in the word — but also because the series is financially backed by the government of Saudi Arabia with its reported lengthy list of human-rights abuses.

“No, I haven't really noticed them,” said Shaughnessy of Upton, when asked about a group of protesters just off to his right, in a nearby area of the fairgrounds, the only official parking area for visitors to The International for the Labor Day weekend event.

“I'm really here for the golf,” Shaughnessy said.

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That feeling was echoed by others who stood in line. Some said it’s hypocritical to single out this tournament, when other sports leagues receive money from countries with reported human-rights abuses.

“Go ask the PGA what they’re backed by. It’s probably China," said Susan Barnes, who came from Elba, Alabama, to take in the tournament.

“Tell the protesters they don’t know what they’re talking about,” she added.

Lone protest group

Massachusetts Peace Action was the only group of protesters at the fairgrounds Friday morning, and was the only area tournament organizers at the private golf club just over four miles away allowed protesters to be.

The group numbered fewer than a dozen, holding signs and banners that said, “Saudi Money is Blood Money” and “Saudi Arabia kills journalists and kids in Yemen.”

“The main reason we’re here is that Saudi Arabia funds this golf tournament,” said Paul Shannon, who sits on the group's executive committee. “It’s one of the most repressive governments on earth.”

Saudi Arabia has been accused of wide-ranging human rights abuses, including politically motivated killings, torture, forced disappearances and inhumane treatment of prisoners. And members of the royal family and Saudi government were accused of involvement in the murder of Jamal Khashoggi, a Saudi journalist and Washington Post columnist.

Shannon's group also mentioned a 34-year jail sentence for a mother for tweeted support for women's rights, and its backing of the war in Yemen that has killed more than 150,000 people.

“Saudi Arabia’s funding of this golf tournament is outrageous to us,” Shannon said.

Fourth stop

The International is the fourth stop in the LIV Golf series that rivals the PGA Tour, and the majority of LIV’s funding reportedly comes from Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, controlled by crown prince Mohammed bin Salman.

Kevin Moulton of Sterling stood just outside a fence that separated him from visitors as they lined up to board shuttle buses.

A member of Massachusetts Peace Action, Moulton quietly held out protest materials in his right hand as visitors walked past. Only three people took one.

Some in line appeared annoyed by Moulton standing there. One man said, “We get gas from Saudi Arabia, and (former President Bill) Clinton gave money to them in the 1990s.”

Another man said, “The PGA takes a lot of Saudi money, too.”

“I’m here to educate people and let them know where the money is coming from,” said Moulton, who added that the U.S. Senate team of Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey, plus U.S. Rep. Jim McGovern of Worcester, should have joined the protesters.

“I wish there were more protesters here, but we’re doing the best we can,” Shannon said.

Message sinking in?

When asked if their message was getting across to those in line who seemed to be more interested in getting to the tournament, protester Paul Garber of Acton said the “ordinary person will say blood money from Saudi Arabia is a bunch of crap.”

As for LIV Golf, and whether it's hearing their message from the course that is several miles away from the designated protest area at the fairgrounds, Garber believes LIV is getting so much money from Saudi Arabia that “they don’t give a damn.”

“This should be embarrassing to America generally that this (golf tournament backed by Saudi Arabia) is going on,” Garber said.

'Free country'

Back in the line, visitors patiently waited their turn to hop on a shuttle bus, but when the topic of Saudi Arabia was brought up, Bob Jones of Mendon didn’t hold back.

“There are other countries with human rights abuses that own property in this country. It’s a free country, and people can do what they want,” he said.

“Two sides to every story” is how Ellie Leonard described her feelings about LIV Golf and its connection to Saudi Arabia.

Her husband, Chris, focused on the sunny morning and the fun that they paid to see at The International.

“We’re not here for politics. We’re here for good times, and we want to see some great golf.”

Contact Henry Schwan at henry.schwan@telegram.com. Follow him on Twitter @henrytelegram

This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: LIV Golf: Small protest group in Massachusetts outnumbered by fans