Shahd Alhamdan

Saudi Gazette

 

JEDDAH – #AllowYouth is a new hashtag created to support young Saudi males to speak up about their rights when it comes to eating in restaurants during the Kingdom’s holidays and weekends.



One tweet using the hashtag said that by preventing young men from entering public places, they will use private places and suggested that the public would not be happy with the results.



Another comment suggested that restaurants were continuing discrimination and racism by preventing young men from entering during Eid holidays because venues were full of families.



Another tweet read: “to discriminate someone for his marital status is exactly as racism and they are both against the law.”



Speaking with Saudi Gazette,  the person who created the initiative and hashtag, Mohammad Bahareth, said it was created in response to a restaurant refusing to let himself and his friend enter.



The restaurant justified denying the pair service by saying that it was a family venue, but Bahareth said he and his friend were trying to enter the restaurant’s singles section.



The restaurant was since fined for refusing service after Bahareth complained to officials at the Ministry of Commerce.



The municipality has also fined the restaurant because it did not have a sign for families only in the area, and because they allow families to use the singles section.

 

Bahareth said young men only want to have a singles section that can’t be used by families during weekends and holidays.



“This initiative is targeting youth and motivating them to be aware of their rights and ask for it,” he said. “It is also a campaign that will increase the awareness of restaurants owners about the law so they won’t be surprised in the end by paying high penalties.”



He said that the initiative had so far received positive feedback. The restaurant that initially blocked the pair from eating has now allowed them to enter.



One restaurant reacting positively to the initiative is Shobak; since the creation of the hashtag it has cancelled it’s policy of only serving families during weekends.