Hundreds of British tourists have sent Born Free reports on its Raise the Red Flag programme, after witnessing the distressing exploitationNada Farhoud in Marrakesh, Morocco07:18, 30 May 2026Endangered monkeys dressed in football shirts including England’s Jude Bellingham are being exploited for tourist photos, say campaigners.‌In one of the world’s most visited squares, Barbary Macaques are dragged along by chains fixed around their necks.‌Since it has been announced that Morocco will be one of the hosts of the 2030 World Cup alongside Portugal and Spain, monkeys dressed in the shirts appear in Jemaa el-Fna market square in Marrakesh’s Medina quarter.‌Their pushy handlers dress them in shirts such as the England kit of Jude Bellingham try to lure in Brits to pose for selfies in return for money. Others are dressed in the Brazilian national shirt of Vinícius Júnior as well as Barcelona’s Robert Lewandowski.When they are not in use, the monkeys - also forced to wear nappies and sunglasses - are shoved into small crates.Hundreds of British tourists have sent Born Free reports on its Raise the Red Flag programme, after witnessing the distressing exploitation including Natasha Doyle from south west London.‌She reported concerns to the charity after a holiday in Marrakech in November with her husband.Natasha, a registered veterinary nurse, said: “What I witnessed ruined my holiday as it was very upsetting to see babies in nappies and adults dressed being dragged along by chains. Every time I saw a monkey it was pulling at its collar showing their constant distress.‌“The size of the crates were horrific too. Once inside they had very little space.”She added: “I would not go back to Morocco unless they agreed to stop harming the monkeys for tourism. I felt by visiting I was indirectly supporting the suffering and exploitation of the macaques. I have emailed the city’s mayor and I will continue to tell friends and family about my experience.”Native to the Atlas Mountains in Morocco and Algeria, Barbary macaques are classified as ‘Endangered’ in the wild. In 2016, in recognition of the increasing threat of extinction, they were given greater protection by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species.But despite this, monkeys are forced to perform in the historic square daily alongside snake charmers, cages of birds including peacocks, falcons and also hedgehogs.‌There have also been numerous reports of tourists being injured by these stressed macaques, including a woman who was recently bitten and taken to hospital for treatment and vaccination against possible infectious diseases that can spread from monkeys to humans.‌Sarah Jefferson, Born Free’s Captivity Campaigns Information Coordinator said; “With the 2030 FIFA World Cup approaching, and Morocco being a co-host country, Marrakesh is likely to see a boost in tourist numbers during the tournament as fans combine their love of football with taking in the local sights. Born Free continues to highlight with the Moroccan tourism authorities and Mayor of Marrakesh that tourist perceptions of poor animal welfare, associated with the exploitation of Barbary macaques and other animals in Marrakesh, is likely to contribute to a negative image of Morocco and should be brought to an end, once and for all.As excitement for the 2026 FIFA World Cup builds around the globe, Born Free is calling for the use of Barbary macaques dressed up in football shirts for tourist photos to be ‘shown the red 8 card’.”FIFA and the Mayor of Marrakesh did not respond to a request for comment.Article continues belowRaise concerns about captive wild animals while on holiday at.bornfree.org.uk/raise-the-red-flag/