Angered by the scene of a Bengali worker wearing a face mask made by a traditional Middle Eastern fabric, a Saudi man filmed himself as he attacked the man standing by an ATM machine, prompting online outrage.
? مفتاح هام
— مفتاح (@keymiftah79) June 10, 2020
هذه ترجمة لمقطع الإساءة الذي أقدم عليه شاب ضد عامل بنغالي بحجة أنه أهان الشماغ، وذلك لكي يطلع العالم بأسره على "العنصرية" التي باتت تتصاعد في ظل محمد بن سلمان. pic.twitter.com/36BTGpYQx3
Translation: "Here's a translation of the clip where a young man assaulted a Bengali worker claiming he's insulted the Shemagh. Let the whole world take a look at the racism growing under Mohammad bin Salman's rule."
As per government instructions to citizens and residents of Saudi Arabia, a Bengali expat was spotted wearing a face mask made of a red Shemagh, a popular Middle Eastern fabric often perceived as a traditional symbol, which angered a Saudi man as he drove by.
The Saudi man turned on his phone's camera irritated at the possibility that the foreign worker may have cut a Shemagh to make the face mask. He is then seen leaving his car and approaching the expat, slapping, and insulting him.
A few hours later, police in the Aseer province, to the southwest of the country, announced that its forces have identified the offender and arrested him.
العنصريه موجوده في كل مكان وزمان والملام هو العنصري بنفسه ومدى صغر عقله
— ضيــاء (@DiyaaAbdullah) June 11, 2020
Translation: "Racism exists at all times and places, only the racist is to blame for their shallow thinking."
Social media users shared the video expressing their outrage over the Saudi man's attitude, arguing that Shemagh face masks have been popular in several Middle Eastern countries and that the foreign worker didn't mean to offend anyone.
هذا تصرف فردي كل الشعب السعودي يرفضه ونحن عشنا بينهم سنين ونقول شهادة حق ليس مجامله لاحد ولاننتضر عليها شكر
— محمد صالح باسليمان (@CaCqYPbiC1ev8yB) June 10, 2020
الشعب السعودي قمه في الاخلاق والامن لايفرق بين اجنبي ومواطن ولاتوجد عنصريه وان وجدت فهي شي لايذكر مقابل محاسن هذا الشعب انضر للغرب الذي تترجم له هناك تجد العنصريه
Translation: "This is an individual act rejected by all Saudis. We've lived with them for years and we say it clearly, Saudis are very decent. Security forces have the same standards for citizens and foreigners. There's no racism there, and if there was some it's nothing compared to how great these people are."
Some Saudi users voiced out their rejection of the Saudi man's attitude saying that most Saudis are not racist and would never insult foreigners.
Wearing a face mask in Saudi and other countries around the world has become the new normal ever since the Coronavirus outbreak.
In Saudi Arabia, officials have reported about 125k cases and more than 900 deaths so far.
