Saudi police release teenager detained for dancing in street

DUBAI - 25 August 2017: A 14-year-old boy who was detained by Saudi police for dancing to the song “Macarena” at a traffic intersection has been released with a warning about road safety, the interior ministry said on Wednesday.

The boy was filmed dancing to the catchy 1990s hit song in front of five lanes of cars stopped at a traffic light, in a clip widely shared on social media.

Police had said the teenager, whose name and nationality were not given, was being questioned because he had shown “improper public behavior” and disrupted traffic.

An interior ministry statement said the boy had been released without charge, after he and his legal guardian were summoned for questioning.

“They signed a written pledge that the teen will not engage in behavior that could endanger his life and the life of others again,” it said.

“The notification was solely intended to warn the boy about potential consequences for his own safety, as well as to safeguard the overall safety of motorists and pedestrians.”

Reporting by Hussain Al-Sadah in Dubai, additonal reporting by Stephen Kalin in Riyadh, Editing by Mark Trevelyan; Writing by Sylvia Westall; Editing by Mark Trevelyan