Saudi authorities arrest everyone involved in alleged gay wedding

Days after footage of an alleged gay wedding held in Saudi Arabia went viral on social media, Mecca Police announced the arrest of everyone involved in it. 

In a statement released on Monday, official spokesman for Mecca Police said that late on Friday, a man who was attending a festival in a resort located in the city reported the incident to authorities.

"The man said people attending the event were surprised when a few young men entered the place and tried to perform a 'gay wedding scene.' The police were told one of the men appeared to be a crossdresser," the statement read. 

"After the crossdresser and other people involved in the incident were identified, they were all arrested and their case will now be referred to the prosecution," it added. 

Last week, videos that had captured the alleged gay wedding sparked controversy on social media. 

In the footage, two men can be seen walking down what seems to be an outdoor aisle, while music plays in the background. One of them is seen wearing a wedding veil. 

Soon after authorities released their official statement on the matter, the news started to make the rounds online and many are now reacting to it. 

"Anyone who thinks it's OK to put on silly stunts that go against our religion and our country's traditions must be held accountable for their actions."

"A performance? Or a gay wedding?" 

"If the case is all about people putting on a performance, why didn't you arrest actors like Naser Al Qasabi? They cross-dressed and performed women roles in front of millions of people?"

"Why don't you just leave them alone, even if they were truly getting married, what is it to you?"

The people involved in the incident now face legal consequences that may be strict. This is because similar to the majority of countries across the Arab world, homosexuality is illegal in Saudi Arabia.

The country imposes strict rules and zero-tolerance policies when it comes to the LGBTQ community. 

Anyone who goes against these rules could potentially face fines, deportations, jail sentences, and in some cases even death sentences.