The women — members of the Baladi (My Town) campaign — were there demanding that they be allowed to participate in the vote. There were almost as many news reporters there to watch, but the sole police car at the scene suggested that this was going to be a peaceful confrontation. And it was.
“We gave them advice, and they accepted it and left,” said Abdul Aziz Al-Ghamdi, the head of the district office, who told the women that it wasn't his decision whether or not to allow women to vote.
The women were prevented from going into the office, but they were allowed to express their desire for an organizing committee to facilitate voting by women. But Al-Ghamdi pointed out that this matter is out of his hands and that they would have to take up the issue with Baladiyah authorities.
“We are still to agree on things," said Naila Tahir, one of the members of Baladi. “We still hope the decision will take place.”
Basma Al-Suyoufi, another member of the campaign, said there is "a general agreement on the issue."
"With time and with initiatives from the municipal branches we can actually reach a stage where we can have places for women to vote without mingling with men," she added. "Men are living in this country and so are women ... What we know is that women, according to the system, are not banned from voting.”
In the Eastern Province about 16 to 20 women staged a sit-in in their cars at a municipal center in Alkhobar, according to Baladi member Enam Asfour.
She added that two police vehicles were at the scene, as well as four vehicles from the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice.
Kuloud Al-Fahad, another member of Baladi, said they remained in their vehicles because they did not want to clash with authorities.
An eyewitness told Arab News that two women were able to register their names in Alkhobar, at the Ibn Cina School on the Corniche, and were able to talk to officials from the municipal branch office who agreed that women should be given voting cards. Arab News was not able to confirm if these women had registered or reports from eyewitnesses about the detention of three women.
