Palestinians have been warned they risk a fine and/or jail time if they take the globalized “Kiki challenge,” making them the latest citizens in the Middle East to be threatened by authorities for trying what has been – until now – a purely “western” phenomenon.
The “Kiki challenge” is a viral dance based on Canadian hip-hop superstar Drake’s hit song “In my feelings”. As part of the Kiki dance, people get out of a slowly moving car and leave the door open as they move alongside it in sync with the music.
“Participation in such unacceptable practices constitutes a crime punishable by law with imprisonment for period ranging from two months to one year and a fine of 120 Jordanian dinars ($180),” the Palestinian police said, as reported by i24 news.
Local police added that the driving licenses of participants will be withdrawn and cars may be impounding as a result. The penalty will be doubled if the convicted person commits the same offense within two years.
A number of other countries across the Middle East have already outlawed the Kiki challenge.
In the UAE, users who film themselves dancing as their car rolls besides them could be slapped with a Dh2,000 fine ($545), 23 black points on their driving licenses, and have their cars impounded for 60 days, according to Emirati authorities.
The threat of severe penalites has not dimmed the sense of humour for some:
Elsewhere, Egyptian officials warned Kiki dancers that if caught, they will face jail time and fines.
In statements to Ten TV, Maj. Gen. Magdy el-Shahid, the former head of the General Directorate of Traffic, said, “According to Article 81 of the traffic law, any person who … prevents the use of a part of the road … or impedes the traffic flow or endangers lives faces a jail term of up to one year or pays a fine between 1,000 and 3,000 Egyptian pounds [$56 to $168].”
The threat has not been taken seriously by everyone, however:
Egyptian fans have also been warned that the trend has already caused accidents on local roads, which already have some of the highest accident rates in the region.
The Gulf Emirate of Abu Dhabi has also ordered the arrest of three “famous” social media users for taking part in the challenge.
The public prosecutor’s office did not reveal the names of the three people ordered detained, however it cautioned that anyone taking part would be in “a violation of public morals.”
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