'Halal Nightclub' to Open in Jeddah and Saudis are Conflicted

Videos of the first “halal disco” that is set to open in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, have been taking the internet by storm.

White, a Dubai-based nightclub, has announced on their website the opening of a new nightclub in Jeddah city in Saudi Arabia.

As part of the new so-called reforms in the entertainment sector taking place in Saudi Arabia, local media reports confirmed the opening of a new “halal disco” that would have the same interior design of a nightclub, yet it will have a halal bar serving non-alcoholic drinks.

A few videos were shared on the internet claimed to be from the nightclub showing the dancefloor and the interactive lights.

The videos split the Saudis into two parts; some were angered by the news and condemned the government’s approval of having a nightclub in the Kingdom that had preserved its “conservative identity” for decades now. The others welcomed the news expressing the excitement of having the first nightclub in the country.

The hashtag “#ديسكو_في_جده” [Disco in Jeddah] was also launched on Twitter and took few hours before climbing the worldwide trending hashtags on which Saudis shared their opinions online, in addition to sharing memes were created on the Saudis reactions when first knowing about the nightclub.

In the meantime, another counter-hashtag was launched for people condemning the opening of a nightclub in the Kingdom.

On #لاارضي_بمنكرات_شاطي_بيتش_بجده [I don’t accept forbidden acts on Jeddah beach], Saudis went criticize the authorities’ decision to allow a nightclub to open calling them to preserve the conservative traditions and culture.

Translation: “A bar and nightclub in Jeddah? It is the time when the believer will wish to be dead before having to live this.”