Expat leading ring of beggars in Saudi Arabia goes viral, sparks outrage

An expat who allegedly runs a ring of street beggars in Saudi Arabia is sparking outrage on the kingdom's social media platforms. 

It all started when the unidentified man was recently filmed aggressively reacting to a local TV crew shooting a news report on the rise of street begging in the kingdom. 

In the footage they captured, the man appears to shout out expletives at a news reporter who was trying to interview child beggars. 

"Not you, nor ten others like you can get me out of here," the man is heard saying. 

The news crew couldn't complete their report due to the man's behavior. 

However, earlier this week, its incomplete version aired on "Tamm," a TV program broadcast on one of Saudi Arabia's national TV channels, and is now making the rounds online. 

In response to the now-viral video, thousands of tweeps called on authorities to take action against the expat. 

The footage led others to discuss the rise of street begging in Saudi Arabia, a phenomenon now widespread in several of the kingdom's governorates. 

Here's a little of what people had to say on the matter:   

"Poverty will make him say more than that... this isn't surprising, it's a person who has nowhere else to turn and who is in desperate need to survive. He found a way to make money on the street. Filming him isn't the a solution here, people like him need long-term solutions that'll protect them and others further down the line." 

"This is such a dangerous phenomenon, where are authorities??"

"He and those who work with him must be tracked down and arrested." 

"Honestly, street begging has become a phenomenon in our country. Who's responsible to find solutions for it and why haven't they done that yet?"

"This is a crime against these children and infants who are being used to beg for money under horrific circumstances. We've got to unite our efforts to overcome this problem which can eventually lead people into terrorism, drug use, and human trafficking." 

"Citizens take part of the blame here. They are one of the reasons behind the rise of this phenomenon."

"We hear about the anti street begging authority, but if they truly exist, they must be investigated because we've never seen them do anything. If they have been shut down, police departments must take over, it's their duty."