A group of Arsenal supporters has launched a bold and satirical campaign urging the club to end its controversial partnership with Rwanda, as backlash grows over the East African country’s involvement in the ongoing conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
A Protest in Red and White
Gunners For Peace, a grassroots Arsenal fan group, unveiled a new billboard outside the Emirates Stadium earlier this week. The sign reads, “Visit Tottenham!”—a tongue-in-cheek jab meant to ridicule the club’s “Visit Rwanda” sponsorship deal, which places the slogan prominently on Arsenal’s matchday shirts. Alongside the billboard, the group released a spoof tourism video highlighting Tottenham, Arsenal’s fierce North London rivals, as a “destination”—a move intended to provoke discussion among fans and club executives.
The campaign isn’t just about humor. Gunners For Peace is also distributing armbands ahead of Arsenal’s Premier League match against Crystal Palace, allowing fans to cover up the “Visit Rwanda” logo. For the protestors, the joke is deadly serious.
The Ethics of a Sponsorship
The “Visit Rwanda” sponsorship began in 2018 and was extended in 2021. The deal reportedly brought in around £10 million ($13.4 million) during the 2023–24 season. But as conflict in eastern Congo deepens—with the UN and multiple governments accusing Rwanda of supporting M23 rebels implicated in atrocities—many fans are calling on Arsenal to reconsider the partnership.
“Arsenal is a great club. We have standards,” reads a statement on the Gunners For Peace website. “Visit Rwanda needs to end. This is the same regime funding a brutal militia committing atrocities against thousands in Eastern Congo. We don’t want our club to sell its soul—and we certainly don’t want to wear it on our sleeves.”
“Tottenham Is a Joke—So Is Rwanda”
Speaking to The Athletic, Gunners For Peace spokesperson James Turner emphasized the symbolic nature of the “Visit Tottenham” slogan.
“Tottenham is a joke to Arsenal fans—that’s the point,” he said. “We’re saying that even a sponsor as ridiculous as Tottenham would be better than associating with a regime accused of war crimes. This is about principles. We believe Arsenal fans care deeply about the kind of club we are.”
Turner added that the group has been in contact with Arsenal fans in Congo who are boycotting the club’s merchandise until the Rwanda deal is dropped. “This campaign is for them,” he said.
Meanwhile in Kigali…
As the protest gained traction in London, the Rwandan government was showcasing its own version of the Arsenal-Rwanda partnership. On April 18, 2025, Rwanda hosted the second edition of the Arsenal Africa Fans Festival in Kigali. Over 1,000 Arsenal supporters from across the continent—countries like Nigeria, Ghana, Uganda, Kenya, Zimbabwe, and South Sudan—attended the three-day event.
Organized in collaboration with the Rwanda Arsenal Fans Community (RAFC), the festival included volunteer activities, tourism excursions, and a visit to the Aheza Healing and Career Center in Bugesera, which supports survivors of the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi.
High-ranking Rwandan officials—including Foreign Minister Olivier Nduhungirehe and Sports State Minister Rwego Ngarambe—were present to inaugurate the festival. According to reports, some participants had their travel and accommodation costs covered by the Rwandan government.
Public Relations Amid a Regional War
While the Kigali event was meant to highlight Rwanda’s cultural ties and tourism potential, critics argue that such initiatives are part of a broader campaign to polish Rwanda’s image abroad—even as international scrutiny mounts over its alleged military interventions in Congo.
By leveraging its ties with Arsenal—one of the world’s most popular football clubs—Rwanda seeks to cultivate a soft power narrative centered on unity, development, and global engagement. Yet for many Arsenal fans, particularly those aware of the situation in Congo, the partnership represents something darker: the laundering of a state’s violent record through football.
A Club at a Crossroads
With Arsenal enjoying a resurgence in European football and increasing visibility in the Champions League, the Gunners For Peace group believes the time is ripe to demand better.
“There’s a line we should not cross just for commercial gain,” said Turner. “If Arsenal wants to be seen as a club with values, it has to act like one. Dropping Visit Rwanda would send a powerful message: that football, and its fans, still care about what’s right.”
As the team prepares to face Crystal Palace, it remains to be seen how the club will respond to growing dissent from its own supporters—both in the UK and abroad.
For now, one message is clear: “Visit Tottenham” may be a joke, but the message behind it is not.
Therwandan
