Kim Kardashian returns to Miami International Airport after her trip to the Middle East (INFphoto.com)
Fans and protesters alike gathered to see Kim Kardashian peddle milkshakes in Bahrain on Saturday.
Along with thousands of hysterical fans who paid up to 500 Bahraini dinars ($1360) a ticket to see the 32-year-old socialite help launch a Millions of Milkshakes franchise at an upscale shopping center, hordes of angry Muslim hardliners showed up with signs and chanted in protest.
The AP reported that riot police fired tear gas to disperse more than 50 hardline Islamic protesters who showed up to denounce her presence and her reputation for mindless materialism and blatant sexuality.
An AP journalist saw protesters chanting “God is Great” near the shopping complex in Riffa, about 12 miles south of the capital Manama.
Demonstrators reportedly shouted many slurs at Kardashian, including “porn star” in light of her 2007 sex tape with singer Ray J. Norwood.
“Syria receives martyrs while Bahrain receives whores,” one banner read, according to CNN.
The promoter who brought the socialite to the Gulf kingdom denied reports of protests. “WHAT PROTESTS?? Kim Kardashian loved by the people of Bahrain & wants to return!!” Sheeraz Hasan tweeted Sunday.
The demonstrators were cleared before Kardashian appeared and she has not addressed the recent reports of protest. She posted glowing remarks about Bahrain on her Twitter, calling it “the prettiest place on earth.” It was retweeted by Bahrain’s foreign minister. She also tweeted: “Thanks @sheerazhasan and Paresh A Shah for an amazing trip to The Kingdom of Bahrain and Kuwait. We did it!!!”
Kardashian, was in Kuwait earlier this week to open another branch of the shop and also angered some.
“Her values clash with our traditions as a religiously committed people,” Mohammad Al Tabtabai, a Kuwaiti preacher, told the Gulf News. “Her visit could help spread vice among our youth.”
During her three-day trip, the attention-loving Kim captured images of her meeting with U.S. ambassador to Kuwait Matthew Tueller. She also nervously posed next to camels and drank camel milk.
The reality star initially agreed to make the trip to the two countries to promote the openings of Millions of Milkshakes. But after being roundly chastised for her tweets on Israel and Palestine, she also used the trip to educate herself about the region. She deleted the original tweets and issued an apology.