Riot on Stage

When the lights dimmed signaling the beginning of the play “Centrist without a Center” at Al Yamammah’s college theater in Riyadh, something unexpected happened.

Allah Akbar, Allah Akbar, a number of the audience started shouting.

Confusion.

The lights are back. 

Audiences were surprised to find bearded men storming the stage, smashing the theatrical equipment and quarreling with organizers and security forces.

To put an end to the seemingly uncontrollable situation, the organizer came on stage and announced: The play is canceled!

The bearded men started shouting outcries of religious fervor, this time though, announcing victory.

The play’s main actor, Habib Al-Habib, refused to concede, went on stage and announced: The show must go on!

This, after all, is a play about the repercussions of extremism among our midst.

Not accepting defeat, the extremists became violent, started beating the actors and whoever stood between them and between achieving their goal of destroying the night, including audiences and students.

Gun shots in the air, the security officer decided to put an end to this mess and bring back order.

The extremists got scared, started running out.

50 police members surrounded the college and 17 culprits were captured.

Ambulances rushed to the scene and took 9 injured students to the hospital. 

The audiences started clapping: we win, the spirit of freedom wins.

 

This incident, dear readers, took place in Riyadh yesterday. It was the second in a matter of days at Al Yamammah’s college which is organizing a week long cultural activities. First, extremists interrupted the lecture of a well known Saudi intellectual, Abdullah Algazami and security forces had to intervene to stop the assaults on him.

The radical Islamists tactics are well known in Saudi Arabia.When they get informed about any cultural or entertainment event taking place somewhere in the kingdom, they decide to take action which, as they believe, is a religious duty (propagation of virtue and prevention of vice). What happens next is preparation for the battle: exchanging text messages with information about the event and the speakers and distributing online messages boards- basically enlisting as much support as they could. Then, they start showing up early at the designated location, occupying the front seats of the conference room or theater and when the event is about to start, they immediately begin shouting and attacking the speakers and and the audiences.  However, in yesterday’s incident, they resorted to physical violance. Indicating, most probably, their frustration with what they consider an advancement of their enemies agenda. And we all know who the enemies are: Any moderate or liberal person who doesn’t follow their extremist views.

Although this is a really sad and disturbing incident which resulted in the cancellation of the first showing of this play, I say to these extremists: Bravo! Your performance has succeeded in alienating more people and pushing them away from your radical views. Now, dear Saudi authorities, are you going to make an example of these extremists or, as usual, try to cover it up and let them get away with it yet again?   

 

Update: Someone took a video of the incident (Now called:  غزوة اليمامة Al Yamammah Battle) here. Is there any one with tech knowledge who can upload this on Youtube?

Update 2: You can watch the videos on Youtube here and here.
Thanks Safadila.

Sources:

السعودية لملاحقة مثيري الشغب في اليمامة

إعتداء بالضرب و الشتائم على فريق و جمهور مسرحية "وسطي بلا وسطية" 

الآن : إطلاق نار و تكسير الكاميرات و مهاجمة الممثلين في كلية اليمامة 

إسلاميون سعوديون يحاصرون مفكراً ليبراليا وينتخبون أحدهم لمناظرت

Comments

[Abu Sinan]

Opps, the Saudi issue was with Riggs Bank, not BB&T.

[????]

Abu Sinan I don't know where you got the figure of $3,000 for Kuwaities, but I assure you they only get $1,500-$1,700. As for U.A.E, I've heard the popular rumour as well, that they get $4,000? That's only with the military scholarship, and not for the standard one.

[Abu Sinan]

????

Maybe that is rumour. I heard it from all of the Saudi students I have known here on scholarship, so I guess I thought it was true. So much for "urban" myths eh? Not having known any Kuwaiti or Emirati students here on scholarship, I had no way of knowing first hand.

The Saudi scholarship is kind of a graded one. If you are female it depends on if you are married or have a mehrem, it also depends on how many kids you have.

I think the top you can get on the Saudi scholarship would be around $3,000 something, that is if you are married with several children and are a man, or a women married with mehrem.

Still, a great deal when compared to the types of scholarships they offer to people here in the West.

Besides, I think the scholarship money is pretty much "incidental" money. All of the Saudis I have known who came on scholarship came from families with money anyways and would have come with or without the money. It is the visa that the scholarship offers that is the big deal.

If you have ever been to the Metro DC area, at least, you'd know that $1,500-$1,700 will not always get you an apartment, let alone pay for all liviing expenses.

[Sunrunner]

Abu Sinan, is this a monthly amount? Because if it is, if someone learns to really budget, it is a great deal. I mean, if you really try, you can get by on that amount, like learning to share an apt, to do w/out new clothes, the latest gadgets, cars etc, or even living in student housing! Also, most foreign students are allowed to work a certain number of hours (never 40!) particularly in work-study situations.

[Abu Sinan]

It is a monthly amount. But, as far as I know, it does not change based on where you are going to school.

So, for instance, a single Saudi girl going to school here in the Metro DC area will make about $1,200 a month, I believe, without a mehrem.

The problem is, if you are going to a place like Georgetown, it will be hard to find a room around the campus for less than probably $800 a month, depending on how you are willing to live.

That gives you $400 a month for transportation, food, clothes and the like.

As I have said before, I have never met a Saudi student who was using this money as their sole source of income. Most Saudi students come from at least a middle class background where the scholarship money is in addition to a monthly sum that the family will be sending.

I have known Saudi students from wealthy families that use the money as their "Porshe" or "Mercedes" money, others who use it as party money.

As to working whilst on a scholarship, I dont know about that. When my wife was on the scholarship she was on a diplomatic visa for part of it, and green card on the rest, so I dont know. Both of my sister in laws currently on the scholarship are here without a visa, so it doesnt affect them.

I cannot say I have known any Saudi student that I have known that has worked whilst going to school, although I am sure there are some. I knew one girl that worked as a belly dancer in Kansas City, but that was paid under the table anyway. Rest assured, her parents didnt know she was doing this whilst she was here in the USA on her studies.

Unfortunately, some Saudi students have a great reputation for drinking, drugs and parties. But I think the same could be said of students who come from other strict backgrounds and cultures. When they come to a place with little supervision, they go crazy.

But they should beware, the Cultural Mission indeed has spies who report such activity to the Cultural Mission and Saudi students have been sent back to Saudi for such things.

It also has a high personal price. I have been told that there were 5 suicides last year from the Saudi student community here in the USA. Considering their numbers, and the low rate of suicide in Saudi, that should be sending somebody some warning signals.

[Sunrunner]

Interesting Abu Sinan. But I still don't have much sympathy (for example) Georgetown students, as they can do what a lot of other people with more limited budgets do and live a a bit aways out of G-town, and DC being so small, it isn't the worst thing to have to commute a little. And again, there are opportunities for work, limited on a student visa, but there nevertheless.

And I know what you mean about partying students, as I have lived in college towns in which "rich" foreign students really live it up and stand out with their flamboyent cars and bling etc. This has been going on for quite some time. But I have also seen foreign students from more difficult countries here on incredibly limited means who are so grateful to have an opportunity to study in a world class university that they are willing to literally (almost!) starve themselves in order to make it through. As well as plenty of Americans, for that matter.

At any rate, if I really *had* to, I could get by on $400 a month (after my housing expenses were paid) -- not easy, but definately doable, though it doesn't sound like many are really challenged to do so in any case. And of course there is no reason why the families shouldn't be paying for the bulk of the education expenses -- if they can. I would doubt that many really poor Saudi students would really have access to the educational resources which would prepare them for a US university (eg, Toffle classes etc), so I guess I am saying that I don't get what the big deal is here. I am sure the Saudi Gov *could* afford to put up more $$, but it seems like it would be better spent on other things, like on their own internal education institutions, which from what I understand, could really use some help. Particularly girls schools and colleges.

[Organic Muslimah]

My 2 cents.

If these "extremist" are so powerful and strong like that, why can't they stand up against the government and all the crap it's been doing to it's citizens. Or is it just easy to pick on poor actors and civilians?

I wonder who are the real cowards.

[Juno888]

Unfortunately, some Saudi students have a great reputation for drinking, drugs and parties. But I think the same could be said of students who come from other strict backgrounds and cultures. When they come to a place with little supervision, they go crazy.

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