ROWDY SAUDI NATIONAL DAY CELEBRANTS TURN TO

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 04 RIYADH 001304

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR NEA/ARP; DSS/IP/NEA

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/26/2019
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM SOCI ASEC SA
SUBJECT: ROWDY SAUDI NATIONAL DAY CELEBRANTS TURN TO
VANDALISM

REF: A. 08 RIYADH 1480

B. U.S. CONSULATE GENERAL DHAHRAN WARDEN MESSAGE
DATED 9/23/2009

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Classified By: DCM Susan L. Ziadeh,
reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)

SUMMARY & COMMENT
--------------


1. (C) The third Saudi National Day celebrations on September
23 fell victim to acts of vandalism and looting of
restaurants, cafes, and shops (some of which were U.S.
franchised establishments) that caused over a million dollars
in damage and resulted in at least several dozen arrests.
(NOTE: RSO Dhahran identified five U.S. franchises:
Starbucks, McDonalds, Kentucky Fried Chicken, Safeway, and
Baskin Robbins damaged as result of vandalism. End note.)
Saudis have widely condemned the violence, and continue to
debate its causes. Interpretations vary, with some darkly
suggesting the disturbances were intentionally provoked
either by "terrorist infiltrators" or religious extremists,
and others attributing the violence to youthful excess.
Embassy sees no evidence that US businesses or individuals
were singled out for attacks, or that "infiltrators" were
behind the chaotic disturbances. Instead, they appear to be a
not surprising by-product of rowdy celebrations by frustrated
youths exploiting the rare government license for public
parties. End summary and comment.

A CONTROVERSIAL HOLIDAY
--------------


2. (C) Saudi Arabia observes its National Day on September 23
(deliberately set according to the Gregorian, rather than the
Hijri, calendar) to commemorate the country's 1932
unification under King Abdulaziz. For years the date was
celebrated only by Saudi embassies abroad. However, in 2005
King Abdullah declared the date a national holiday to be
celebrated domestically (reftel A). It is the only Saudi
holiday set according to the Gregorian calendar, and as such
is controversial among religious conservatives who insist
that only the Islamic holidays of the Eid Al-Fitr and Eid
al-Adha observed according to the Hijri calendar, should be
celebrated in the Kingdom. The Saudi ulema argued that
observing a non-religious holiday was tantamount to
blasphemy, since it imitated celebrations by Christians and
other non-believers. The former Grand Mufti, Sheikh
Abdulaziz Bin Baaz, had issued a fatwa banning the National
Day celebration, calling it an "abomination." Significantly,
since King Abdullah decreed that National Day should be
celebrated despite opposition by the ulema, Bin Baaz's fatwa
was not retracted, and has been simply ignored. Religious
opposition was even greater this year, since the holiday
coincided with the end of the Eid Al-Fitr. (NOTE: Hijri dates
advance eleven days every year with respect to the Gregorian
calendar. End note.) Some claimed national day celebrations
were abridging the religious observances.

ROWDY CELEBRATIONS MORPH INTO VANDALISM
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3. (U) Encouraging citizens to celebrate the day, the SAG
organized a variety of public performances featuring
traditional recitations and sword dancing throughout the
country. Saudi citizens, and particularly the youth,
evidently welcomed the rare opportunity for public displays
of patriotism, and turned out in the thousands in shopping
malls, town centers, parks and other gathering places.
Boisterous revelers draped themselves in Saudi flags, painted
cars and faces green, and danced, cheered, and partied in
groups of hundreds, to the dismay of religious conservatives.
In Dhahran and Riyadh rowdiness deteriorated into vandalism
resulting in reported property damage of over USD 1 million
(SR 4.5 million) and dozens of arrests. The disturbances were
widely reported by local media, leaving many Saudis shocked
and provoking broad condemnation and debate via text
messages, emails, and in editorials and internet blogs.


4. (U) The U.S. Consulate General Dhahran issued a warden
message informing American citizens about the events of
September 23 and advised that there were possible indications
that other demonstrations might occur and to use caution when

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traveling to the Corniche area in Al-Khobar and in Dhahran
during the September 24 - 25 local weekend.

AN EASTERN PROVINCE SCUFFLE
WITH POLICE TRIGGERS VANDALISM
--------------


5. (U) In the Eastern Province, the vandalism occurred in and
around the Tamimi-Safeway Commercial Complex, along the
Al-Khobar Corniche (Note: Tamimi-Safeway is a leading
supermarket chain in Saudi Arabia. End note.) According to
local media, it began with an altercation between a group of
rowdy youths and a security officer who fired into the air to
disperse them. Eyewitnesses
claimed one of the youths shouted that one of the well-known
international stores in the complex (identified as Starbucks)
"supported Israel." Other youths responded by smashing the
establishment's windows and ransacking other businesses in
the area, including American franchisees Baskin Robbins,
Pizza Hut, Hardee's, Starbucks and GNC. (Note: During the
Israeli-Gaza war earlier this year, post's Saudi contacts
forwarded several email chains accusing Starbucks and other
American franchises of supporting Israel. End note.) Most of
the vandals were young (between 15-25 years old),masked and
some were reportedly armed with knives and sticks. Windows
were smashed, merchandise strewn on the ground or looted, and
cash was taken. Security and traffic patrols in the Eastern
region as well as emergency, anti-riot and border guard
forces reportedly were quick to respond. Although the
official spokesman for the Eastern Region, Brigadier Yusuf
Al-Qahtani, did not reveal how many were arrested, it would
appear that many arrests were made, but the exact number is
unknown.


6. (U) Video clips capturing the Al-Khobar Corniche vandalism
were posted on YOUTUBE and in less than 24 hours, there were
71,000 hits on one of the clips showing masked men smashing
glass doors and windows at several American and other
establishments. Another video clip,
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7PBE8TrfkBM, serves as a
commentary against the National Day celebrations. The clip
shows a group of Sunni youth criticizing the events, noting
that compact discs with covers bearing the word "Allah" (in
Arabic) were passed among the rioting youths during the
celebrations. These CDs were strewn on the ground and
trampled upon during the disturbances, according to the
youths. (Note: The defacement of any object bearing the name
of Allah is a punishable offense under Shari'a law that could
carry the death sentence, if perpetrated intentionally.) The
youths also denounced the mixing of genders, the presence of
improperly dressed women (not wearing abayas),and sexual and
other harassment taking place during the disorderly events.
The video clip features the late Grand Mufti's fatwa banning
National Day celebrations.

ADDITIONAL DISTURBANCES IN RIYADH
--------------


7. (U) The General Directorate of the Riyadh Traffic
Department reportedly arrested 125 persons for causing
disturbances and vandalism in the capital. Local media
reported that a crowd of youths in the Al-Alia district
closed the roads, played loud music and danced, harassing
passengers in vehicles who were out to enjoy the National Day
celebrations. Traffic jams were widespread and Embassy
officers observed young Saudi men cruising and waving flags
on Riyadh's main thoroughfares.

CELEBRANTS BEHAVE THEMSELVES IN JEDDAH
--------------


8. (C) The U.S. Consulate General in Jeddah reported no
vandalism or disturbances in Jeddah on National Day other
than a little "hotrodding" and the resultant traffic jams.
The grand opening of the King Abdullah University of Science
and Technology (KAUST),an hour north of Jeddah, on September
23 and the presence of many foreign delegations, including
heads of state, meant that the security presence -- police
and helicopters -- was very conspicuous in the Western
province and would have discouraged any attempts at public
disorder.

SAUDIS CONDEMN VANDALISM, DEBATE CAUSES

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--------------


9. (C) If the media and internet chatter are any gauge, most
Saudis appeared to be shocked by the disturbances, and
overwhelmingly denounced the vandalism, while editorials and
internet blogs debated the causes. Interpretations varied,
with some darkly suggesting they were intentionally provoked
either by "terrorist elements" or religious extremists, and
others attributing the violence to youthful excess.
President of the Human Rights First Society Ibrahim
Al-Mugaiteeb told PolOff the youth were brought in from
Riyadh and may have been organized by religious Sunni
extremists to disrupt the celebrations. Faisal Al-Zamil, a
prominent business man from the wealthy Al-Khobar-based
merchant family sent an email to ConGen Dhahran adamantly
stating that the vandalism had "no political intention at
all" and that it was merely the result of hundreds of youth
gathering without "management," "security," or a "program of
activities." He also claimed that most of the vandals were
from Riyadh or other central villages who were spending the
Eid holiday in the Eastern Province.


10. (U) The Director of the Dammam Police Observation Home,
Abdulrahman Al-Mabal, told the Arabic daily Al-Riyadh that
initial investigations with a group of youths being detained
in the Observation Home indicated the "subversive acts"
resulted from the frustration of youth turned away from
places they tried to visit. The youths "went to many
restaurants and other businesses that refused them entry,
prompting them to assemble and associate," resulting in the
acts of vandalism. Al-Mabal opined that too much free time,
poor education, lack of awareness as well as the absence of
recreational facilities all contributed to the problem.
Restless teenagers, he said, have urged authorities to
establish youth centers and clubs where they can pursue
hobbies and sports.


11. (U) Al-Riyadh featured nearly 700 readers' comments on
its report "Prohibition on Entry of Entertainment Places
Turns into 144 Youth Undertaking Subversive Acts at the
Al-Khobar Corniche." Readers' comments focused on the
vandalism as well as on other aspects of life in the Kingdom,
ranging from laws mandating what to wear, to terrorism and
youth issues. Many readers attributed the vandalism to poor
education and to what was described as the "underdevelopment"
of the country. They noted the state of frustration among
young Saudis, which they claim is aggravated by the general
absence of recreational facilities to absorb the natural
energy of youth. Some blamed visitors from Riyadh for the
chaos: "Youth of Riyadh . . . may God guide you. You are the
reason for our hatred of occasions and holidays." Readers
also pointed out that the majority of the country's
population is below the age of 25 and that insufficient
attention was given to the needs of the young. One reader
called on the government to organize public events more
effectively and specifically to provide recreational outlets
for young people. Other readers commented that those
involved in the vandalism deserved to be punished because
they ignored established modes of dialogue. Some readers
believed there was a "hidden engine" behind the events while
other remarked on the efficiency and speed of state security
forces, who were present on the scene in "record time."


12. (U) The liberal Arabic daily Al-Watan was explicitly
critical, and suggested the recurrence of vandalism could be
prevented in the future with a package of appropriate,
comprehensive national entertainment programs with events to
engage the young people, funded by contributions from
businesses. The newspaper claimed that since the date for
the National Day was known at least six months in advance,
the authorities had sufficient time to distribute brochures,
prepare sites and events, and plan appropriate security.
Finally, showing continued defiance, a member of the Senior
Council of Ulema, Sheikh Saleh bin Abdullah Al-Fauzan, issued
a fatwa two days after the riots repeating the view that
public celebrations of National Day were "not necessary" and
the government should stop them.

COMMENT
--------------


13. (C) The disturbances and vandalism appear to have been a
by-product of excessive celebrations that got out of hand

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rather than premeditated attacks, much in the same way that
celebrations following European soccer matches occasionally
degenerate into hooliganism. Despite the story circulating
about denunciations of "Israeli-supporting" US businesses, we
do not see evidence that US businesses were singled out for
attacks. Rather, they just happened to be in the way of
rowdy youths bent on some destruction. Similar vandalism has
occurred in the past after sporting events. Such disorders
highlight ongoing tensions between (1) the conservative
religious establishment and the reform-minded SAG, which
instituted Saudi National Day, and (2) the conservative
religious establishment and Saudi frustrated youth, who face
declining standards of living and high unemployment. With few
outlets for entertainment, many of the young appear
increasingly impatient with the oppressive social strictures
imposed by the most conservative elements of society. Given
the tightly controlled nature of Saudi society, it is perhaps
not surprising that such frustrations find violent expression
when controls are temporarily relaxed for occasions such as
Saudi National Day.

SMITH