NidalM Photography / Blog / Life in the Middle East / In Pictures: The AlKhobar Riots

In Pictures: The AlKhobar Riots

Posted by NidalM on Sep 26th, 2009 | 38 comments

Disclaimer: I do not wish to make a political statement at all with those post. There have already been several bloggers who’ve already covered it from that angle. Saudi Jeans – Many Questions, No Answers and Precognitive – Saudi Hooligans are two I recommend. I deal in pictures, and if you want to see lots of them, you’ve come to the right place. I try to keep a neutral political tone on my blog, but if this post, or any others is causing issues, please drop me an email and I will have it removed.

EDIT: Finally, press coverage detailing the extent of the destruction. Arab News. I’ve been told this video depicts protesters firing handguns at the corniche. I’m no expert in guns and I can’t verify. Would Appreciate help!

EDIT: A local Arabic newspaper has reported that ‘hundreds’ of hooligans had been arrested. And around 60 have been sentenced to lashing. Though the sentence has been delayed temporarily.

EDIT: According to Arab News, local volunteer youths have apologized to shop-owners at the corniche and given them plaques titled “Apology”. A great mature gesture I think… A great post by SGIME about this.

As King Abdullah inaugurated his brainchild, the KAUST university in Jeddah, AlKhobar burned. Well, maybe that’s a bit of an over-dramatization. But there can be no doubt, that as the King of their country unveiled its biggest achievement in education, a few locals of Saudi Arabia demonstrated their lack of it.

On the night of September 23rd, Saudi Arabia’s national day, hundreds of Saudi youths who had gathered for the annual fireworks display at AlKhobar’s corniche decided to resort to hooliganism to demonstrate love for their country. As the fireworks died down, the crowd got fired up. Fueled by what can only be called intense boredom, hundreds of youths laid waste to the trendy corniche road, sacking restaurants, looting shops and destroying pretty much anything in their path.

A number of friends who were at the corniche at the time described the intensity (and complete ridiculousness of the situation):

“Yeah man i was there.. they attacked Starbucks when I was inside. I got stuck inside. they tried to take it down by throwing metal chairs at the glass walls and then exploded a bunch of stuff in the family section. Everyone was screaming like hell.”

Harris Z

We went for a ride to the corniche around midnight couldn’t reach the road because the police and security had blocked it. [We] were stuck in the jam for around 30 minutes on the connecting road. Okayy, they were simply berserk… What was disturbing was probably a man in shorts, wearing sunglasses and shamag (Saudi headgear) covering his face dancing with a teddy bear :S

Sara S

A video showing the chaos of the night:

Given the socio-economic situation in Saudi Arabia and the demographics involved in the riots (mid-teens), the reason for the chaos was not due to dissatisfaction and was definitely not anti-establishment. Judging from the type of chaos described, it was just a huge crowd of intensely bored guys who’d become very excited at seeing the fireworks and didn’t have any avenue of release.

The photos in this post do in no way belong to me, nor do I claim any form of copyright. I’ve posted them here for you’re viewing pleasure (as well as hosted them). If you own the copyrights to any of these shots and would like me to remove them, please sent an email to nidal@nidalm.com. Photo credits go to Ozman A (from Facebook) and the gentleman calling himself “Sultan AlSharqia” on alkhobarcafe.com

Corniche Street was left in ruins

Light fixtures taken down...

Rioters used rocks, adn pretty much anything they could get their hands on to break down windows.

It appears the GNC next to Tamimi (Safeway) was looted.

That said, stealing was at a minimum. People seemed more interested in destruction than any form of gain.

A local donut shop, minus the donuts... or windows...

At least the didn't leave hungry. And after consuming all those calories, I bet House of Donuts had the last laugh

The local Baskin Robins ice cream shop was also looted. Seemed rioters were hungrier than angry.

Sarmad R.: "Baskin Robbins was pillaged says my brother. A looter goes in, takes a bucket and starts eating. Another one enters and says 'which flavour?' 'nah, don't like that one'"

The looters dragged a POS terminal from one of the shops. It now lies strewn across the road.

I'm guessing they weren't here for the burgers...

A gift shop on corniche street.

And womens' clothes were too tempting a target...

Starbucks was by far the worst to be hit.

Haris Z: "Yeah man i was there.. they attacked Starbucks when I was inside. I got stuck inside. they tried to take it down by throwing metal chairs at the glass walls and then exploded a bunch of stuff in the family section. Everyone was screaming like hell."

Starbucks is now cordoned off, as repair crews fix the damage.

The corniche is no longer like you remember it...

A deliver van for a fast food joint was taken out in the chaos...

Repairs are already underway though... Arrests have been made (I've been quoted over a hundred people)

There have been rumors of people with guns as well, but those are baseless.

Tags: journalism, news, riots, saudi arabia

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thecrazyjogger

daaaaaaaym
Chiara

Thanks for sharing these. I have had trouble finding news items about this in any language.

Wanton destruction seems like the motive, and wastage. Sad commentary on those who did it,
thecrazyjogger

daaaaaaaym
http://www.samahertariq.com/ samaher

wuuuuuuuuuut lesh zai keda :S
Chiara

Thanks for sharing these. I have had trouble finding news items about this in any language.

Wanton destruction seems like the motive, and wastage. Sad commentary on those who did it,
haseeba

man screw these saudi shawabs …..
http://www.samahertariq.com/ samaher

wuuuuuuuuuut lesh zai keda :S
haseeba

man screw these saudi shawabs …..
Waleed

I heard from couple of people about the gun shooting in the air by individuals.
And I saw this video.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iZIcFWuWhBU
Waleed

I heard from couple of people about the gun shooting in the air by individuals.
And I saw this video.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iZIcFWuWhBU
rondacz

thank you for posting this….one of our store was the victim of that event thank you for posting this. I just knew it from my workmate who is the pharmacist in charge of the GNC store about what happened upon looking at the pictures you posted omg it was horrible …
rondacz

thank you for posting this….one of our store was the victim of that event thank you for posting this. I just knew it from my workmate who is the pharmacist in charge of the GNC store about what happened upon looking at the pictures you posted omg it was horrible …
http://xrdarabia.org/2009/09/27/rioting-out-of-boredom/ Rioting out of Boredom | Crossroads Arabia

[...] UPDATE: Through Chiara, a link to photos of the destruction: NidalM Photography [...]
http://www.interruptingmydreams.wordpress.com Rabia B.

Wow… This is really ridiculous. I cannot believe that anyone could even think of causing so much damage, and that too, on a national holiday.
http://precognitive.wordpress.com/ Qusay

Just so you know who they are… they just took the junk food… had I been there I would've looted GNC… but that's just me u know…

The whole issue is sad
http://www.interruptingmydreams.wordpress.com Rabia B.

Wow… This is really ridiculous. I cannot believe that anyone could even think of causing so much damage, and that too, on a national holiday.
http://precognitive.wordpress.com/ Qusay

Just so you know who they are… they just took the junk food… had I been there I would've looted GNC… but that's just me u know…

The whole issue is sad
ammar

nyc wid star bucks…..
http://www.nidalm.com/blog/ NidalM

Yeah and I've received some amount of messages criticizing me for putting this up for an “international” audience.

:s
http://www.nidalm.com/blog/ NidalM

Dude, thats pretty intense.. I heard rumors myself, but they dont say much officially here about that…
http://www.nidalm.com/blog/ NidalM

Hope you guys are alright. It was pretty terrible what happened that night, and definitely not representative of the relative calm in AlKhobar generally. Just one of those days I guess 0_0
http://www.nidalm.com/blog/ NidalM

Things work… differently… here
ammar

nyc wid star bucks…..
Chiara

Frankly, this particular international audience member was imagining worse, so you have helped to a create realistic portrayal since in the absence of information and rather unpleasant events, most assume the worst or escalate to that assumption.
Chiara

Thanks for the Arab News article, which does provide a great deal of information and emphasizes the amount of damage done and the cash and expensive merchandise stolen.
Callin Pizza Hut an “international brand” is somehow accurate but ludicrous.
It also sounds as if the Israeli aspect was more excuse than motivation.
The best part of the article was rather confused ie the part about who was arrested, who might really be innocent or guilty, and the dearth of normal outlets for teenage energy contributing to the events.
Hopefully they got the right ones, let the others go, and recognize the role of the “system” in triggering, though not justifying this behaviour.

It is particularly explosive a combination to have a high birth rate with a demographic skewed towards youth, and insufficient structured fun activities that are also healthy for them to challenge their energies physical, intellectual, creative and other.
http://www.nidalm.com/blog/ NidalM

Yeah and I've received some amount of messages criticizing me for putting this up for an “international” audience.

:s
http://www.nidalm.com/blog/ NidalM

Dude, thats pretty intense.. I heard rumors myself, but they dont say much officially here about that…
http://www.nidalm.com/blog/ NidalM

Hope you guys are alright. It was pretty terrible what happened that night, and definitely not representative of the relative calm in AlKhobar generally. Just one of those days I guess 0_0
http://www.nidalm.com/blog/ NidalM

Things work… differently… here
ammar

nyc wid star bucks…..
http://www.nidalm.com/blog/ NidalM

Yeah and I've received some amount of messages criticizing me for putting this up for an “international” audience.

:s
http://www.nidalm.com/blog/ NidalM

Dude, thats pretty intense.. I heard rumors myself, but they dont say much officially here about that…
http://www.nidalm.com/blog/ NidalM

Hope you guys are alright. It was pretty terrible what happened that night, and definitely not representative of the relative calm in AlKhobar generally. Just one of those days I guess 0_0
http://www.nidalm.com/blog/ NidalM

Things work… differently… here
Chiara

Frankly, this particular international audience member was imagining worse, so you have helped to a create realistic portrayal since in the absence of information and rather unpleasant events, most assume the worst or escalate to that assumption.
Chiara

Thanks for the Arab News article, which does provide a great deal of information and emphasizes the amount of damage done and the cash and expensive merchandise stolen.
Callin Pizza Hut an “international brand” is somehow accurate but ludicrous.
It also sounds as if the Israeli aspect was more excuse than motivation.
The best part of the article was rather confused ie the part about who was arrested, who might really be innocent or guilty, and the dearth of normal outlets for teenage energy contributing to the events.
Hopefully they got the right ones, let the others go, and recognize the role of the “system” in triggering, though not justifying this behaviour.

It is particularly explosive a combination to have a high birth rate with a demographic skewed towards youth, and insufficient structured fun activities that are also healthy for them to challenge their energies physical, intellectual, creative and other.
Chiara

Frankly, this particular international audience member was imagining worse, so you have helped to a create realistic portrayal since in the absence of information and rather unpleasant events, most assume the worst or escalate to that assumption.
Chiara

Thanks for the Arab News article, which does provide a great deal of information and emphasizes the amount of damage done and the cash and expensive merchandise stolen.
Callin Pizza Hut an “international brand” is somehow accurate but ludicrous.
It also sounds as if the Israeli aspect was more excuse than motivation.
The best part of the article was rather confused ie the part about who was arrested, who might really be innocent or guilty, and the dearth of normal outlets for teenage energy contributing to the events.
Hopefully they got the right ones, let the others go, and recognize the role of the “system” in triggering, though not justifying this behaviour.

It is particularly explosive a combination to have a high birth rate with a demographic skewed towards youth, and insufficient structured fun activities that are also healthy for them to challenge their energies physical, intellectual, creative and other.