Saudi police are investigating why a British Muslim and his Saudi wife were attacked by the kingdom’s religious police outside a Riyadh mall.
A short video has been released online showing what appears to be part of the attack on Saturday. In the clip, a man dressed in a traditional Arab thobe jumps on a British man, dressed in a grey t-shirt, before his wife, wearing the compulsory black niqab attempts to intervene.
According to local media, members of the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice (Haia) began to follow the couple while they were shopping in the mall.
When they approached a check-out, which was being operated by a Saudi woman, the Haia members asked why he had chosen that counter. He replied: “My wife is with me,” referring to the kingdom’s conservative rules that do not allow a man to approach a non-relative female alone.
According to Arabic daily Al Hayat, the Haia members followed the couple outside and took photos of them and their car. The British man, who has lived in Riyadh for three years, then also took photos of their Haia-marked vehicle.
When they demanded he hand over his camera, he refused and was allegedly attacked, falling to the ground.
When he attempted to get up he was reportedly attacked by another Haia member, which is the scene believed to have been captured on camera.
According to the newspaper, the alleged victim phoned the police, who allegedly drove away when they saw Haia members at the scene.
Police later contacted the couple, as well as witnesses and obtained security footage of the incident, Al Hayat said.
Haia chief Abdullatif Al Asheikh has reportedly ordered an investigation.
Source: ArabianBusiness.com
