Italian Press: No St. Valentine, the sin festival

Vice squad patrols in Saudi Arabia are checking shop-windows! Vice squad patrols are checking the shop-windows. “No red items are allowed!” Rosalba Castelletti wrote in the article printed in La Repubblica. Red roses and chocolates in form of hearts are prohibited goods on February 14 in Saudi Arabia. So called religious police prohibits St. Valentine’s Day because that this day people are recalling a Christian martyr abandon themselves to sins. Just for this reason since yesterday the special patrols are checking for absence of all the red items, including flowers and items in form of hearts in shop-windows – whatever that somehow reminds of St. Valentine’s Day. This day even the waiter’s red aprons and salesmen’s uniform is prohibited. No candles and fireworks are allowed as well as music.

At home of Mohammed, in obedience with Wahhabite principles, birthdays and Mother’s Days are also ill advised. The religious police not only confiscate the “heretical” and “pagan” goods but keep a wary eye of twosome’s behavior. The experienced lovers are buying presents in advance and change them so that nobody could see them. These days, people that have some money are leaving for more permissive countries such as Bahrain or United Arab Emirates.