Saudi Arabia's religious police, known as Haia, raided a house during birthday party celebrations on Saturday and arrested a group of young men for playing "loud music and inappropriate dancing."
The Middle East nation, which is notorious for stringent laws, has an agency that works towards the "promotion of virtue" and the "prevention of vice," called Haia. The religious police, or the Mutaween, are in charge of ensuring that the Sharia law is practised by all in the Kingdom.
The young men were found in "a compromising situation in their dance and shameful movements," Independent reported. A cake decorated with candles suggested that it was the birthday of one of the men arrested.
The official that authorised the arrest reportedly urged Saudi Arabian parents to watch their children as certain behaviour "can lead to immorality and even homosexuality" via a local newspaper Ayn al-Youm.
Many citizens often criticise Haia and claim that it is now infiltrated by extremists who abuse their power. Many Saudis took to social media to ridicule the arrests of the young men, pointing out that they were not partying with women or drinking alcohol.
Some also shared pictures of sword dances, that UK's Prince Charles took part in, with the Saudi Royals, during his Middle East visit. However, the hardliners claimed that since sword dancing or "arda" is "masculine", it is socially acceptable.
