Saudi Arabia set to ban love locks from tourist spot as they’re ‘work of western infidel'
SAUDI officials have launched a campaign to rid the city of Jeddah of love locks after citizens complained they imitate the actions of “infidels”.
Married couple take a romantic drive along the Jeddah corniche
Police bosses were alerted after a video clip appeared on social media showing couples using padlocks to profess their love along the corniche of the Red Sea city.
The craze imitates a phenomenon in Europe, which started on Paris’ Pont Des Arts bridge over the Seine, where couples snap padlocks onto bridges.
Angry citizens have taken to social media to express their disgust.
Love locks are placed on bridges by couples in a mark of their love
Love locks on the River Seine in Paris had to be removed
This is not Paris this is Jeddah a city situated between the two holy mosques
One wrote: “Those who thought about replicating the love padlock phenomenon in Jeddah should have thought about imitating the Europeans in their industrial and scientific advances.
“People cant reach higher standards through copying trivial things.”
Another said: “This is not Paris this is Jeddah a city situated between the two holy mosques.”
One added the actions were “imitating the infidels” in the West.
A user said those in love should declare their passion in private, and not by using “rusty locks that turn into an eyesore”.
Locks and keys, Souq al-Alawi in Old Jedda
Jeddah is one of there liberal areas in Saudi Arabia
Jeddah is one of the more liberal areas in the country which follows its own restrictive brand of Islam, Wahhabism.
Unmarried men and women must be segregated and females must be governed by male guardians and dress modestly.
Theatres, cinemas and pop music are also banned.