Saudi Twitter gets its knickers in a twist after 'bra-throwing incident' at Riyadh concert

Footage of a bra being thrown on stage while a US rapper was performing in Riyadh on Friday has sparked controversy among Saudi Twitter users.

The images emerged online after musician Russ Vitale, better known as Russ, took the stage before a sold out audience in the Saudi capital on Friday night.

In one video, the rapper is seen picking up the undergarment and swinging it around as he continued his performance.

Another video posted to Twitter shows the 27-year-old holding up the bra while thanking the Saudi audience.

"Ima come back to Saudi too, I got y'all," he is heard saying to the crowd.

Despite the cheers and shouts heard at the performance venue, the unidentified fan's gesture did not go down too well once the footage reached social media.

Using the Arabic language hashtag #Riyadh_Festival_Bra (#سنتيانه_موسم_الرياض), many took to their keyboards to mock and lament Friday night's bra-throwing incident.

"Thank you Russ, for coming here and $hitting over our culture, religion and traditions, you!" wrote one Twitter user.

	Twitter Post

"By holding that #bra in front of everyone and not a single soul saying to you NO! Stop! This is a no go!,really showing us that our country is in a slippery slope only god can stop."

"Was it so hard for him to just ignore the bra and actually just respect the country’s or the people’s culture ? it’s very unacceptable," wrote another.

Part of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s “Vision 2030” bill of reforms is an extensive programme of concerts and sports events, which have already drawn criticism for being out of touch with ordinary Saudis who have experienced a decline in wages, opportunities and living standards over past decades.

Turki Al-Sheikh, the Chairman of Saudi Arabia’s General Authority for Entertainment and close friend and enforcer for bin Salman, recently appealed to the public to take out loans in order to afford tickets for the newly legalised public and mixed-sex concerts, which most Saudis cannot afford.

The liberal reforms have also drawn the anger of conservatives in the kingdom, who have long held sway over the country's government.

Last month, a Saudi woman who was seen dancing at a concert in a video that went viral online was arrested, authorities in the ultra-conservative kingdom said.

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