Saudi men are calling on authorities to shut down compounds

Millions of expats in Saudi Arabia live in compounds, which are basically city-like spaces within the kingdom's governorates, where people live free of many of the country's strict regulations.

Earlier this week, Saudi tweeps launched a now-viral hashtag calling on authorities to shut down compounds spread across the ultra-conservative country.

Some said the hashtag came in response to some compounds banning Saudi men from entering them and only allowing female nationals to do so. 

However, others claimed the trend came after a tweep posted about Saudi women being offered for "illicit activities" in an unidentified compound.

While speculations over what led to the hashtag continue to grow, people are still reacting to it and their opinions are greatly divided, to say the least.

"Shutting down compounds is a public demand." 

Many tweeted through the hashtag, heavily attacking compounds and accusing those who live in them of violating the kingdom's rules. 

Others were having absolutely none of that though and hit back at the claims. Here's how some Saudis weighed in on the matter: 

"Saudi feminists are the ones refusing to let Saudi men enter compounds. They don't want anyone to recognize them so that they can freely do whatever they want there."

"They ban Saudi men from entering these places and only allow Saudi women in because they want to sabotage them. Saudi women have become a cheap commodity inside the walls of these compounds, drinking alcohol, getting involved in prostitution, illicit relationships, and other shameless acts."

"Saudis don't really care whether these compounds are corrupt or not, they're just upset because Saudi women can go in there while they can't."

"The people who live there are civilized and classy. The services available in them are upper-scale and there's all the entertainment anyone would dream of. I wish all our cities were made up of compounds."

"How can you judge what goes on in a place you've never set foot in??? Or  do you just fancy jumping in on any hashtag, defaming and attacking people and judging an imaginary version of what goes on in their lives?" 

"They took away women's rights to travel, be independent and study abroad. They banned them from restaurants, markets, grocery stores, even from walking in the street, no one said anything. When they banned men from compounds, they're calling on authorities to shut them down."