RIYADH: Some young Saudis were a little too exuberant in their celebrations of National Day, according to local police in Riyadh and Alkhobar who arrested 225 rabble-rousers in numerous incidents of destruction of property and theft.
More than 100 of these young men were arrested in Alkhobar in what police describe as conditions similar to rioting, the daily Al-Watan reported on Friday.
“The youths in groups went on a rampage on the Alkhobar Corniche in front of Tamimi Commercial Complex,” the Arabic daily said, adding that many of the involved vandals escaped.
At least 13 shops had their front windows smashed and their interiors ransacked. In some cases merchandise and other valuables were stolen. Emergency forces had to be called to the Corniche to quell the unrest.
Brig. Yousuf Al-Qahtani, spokesman of Eastern Province police, said the youths also destroyed several cars. Security agents visited the crime scenes and have taken fingerprints of the culprits.
Al-Qahtani did not give the total number of people arrested but witnesses claim at least 100 people were rounded up.
Traffic Director Brig. Ali Al-Suwailem said his officers also impounded “many” cars during the rioting.
Security officers in Riyadh arrested 125 young men for disrupting normal life by their activities, the paper said. Traffic police arrested the youths who blocked roads in Olaya district.
