A Saudi prince has been arrested after footage appearing to show him abusing members of the public was shared on social media.
On Thursday, King Salman issued a warrant for “the immediate arrest and imprisonment” of Prince Saud, a descendent of Saudi Arabia’s founder, along with a group of men who appeared in the viral videos.
Police were seen escorting the prince – one of the thousands of members of the royal family – out of a house in handcuffs in footage circulating on social media.
The arrest came after Prince Saud verbally and physically abused citizens in a series of videos in which his face is clearly visible. He is seen punching one man repeatedly in the head and pointing a weapon at another.
“You park by my house, you … eunuch, I’ll screw your mother in her grave,” he says to a dazed driver bleeding from the mouth, his clothes splattered with blood.
The prince also pummels a man cowering in a chair who waits for him to pause and insists, “Honest to God, I didn’t do anything. I swear to God.”
Bottles of alcohol – which is illegal in Saudi Arabia – are also visible in the footage.
The videos have sparked anger among Saudi citizens, who have expressed their anger on social media.
“No matter who you are prince, minister, citizen no one is above the law,” read one tweet.
According to local media reports, King Salman declared that none of the people arrested would be freed until a ruling is issued. He also urged his citizens to report any other possible cases of abuse of power.
The victims in the videos will be called to testify in court, according to a royal decree carried by Al-Ikhbariya.
With AFP
