Prohibited Love
Thursday, February 14th, 2008Why, it is valentine! The day of crimson red (except, that is, if you live in Riyadh)…
Red is Banned till Fri.
Monday, 11 February 2008
By Suzan Zawawi
RIYADH - Agents of the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice visited flower and gift shops in the capital Saturday night to instruct them to remove all red items - from red roses and wrapping paper to boxes and teddy bears - from their shelves, shop workers said.
“They visited us last night,” said a couple of florists Sunday morning.
“They gave us warnings and this morning we packed up all the red itmes and displays.” The florists asked not to be identified.
Sunday was the last day people could buy red roses in Riyadh, until Valentine’s Day on Feb. 14 passes.
Every year, Commission agents visit flower shops a couple of days before Feb. 14 to issue warnings. On the eve of Valentine’s Day, they start their raids and confiscate any red items that are symbols of love, florists here said.
But as a result of the ban, there’s a black market in red roses.
“A single rose costs around SR5-7 but today the same rose costs SR10 a piece and the price will go up to SR20-30 on Valentine’s Day,” said a florist who caters to customers on Valentine’s Day from his apartment.
Loyal customers place orders with the florist days and sometimes weeks before Feb. 14. “Sometimes we deliver the bouquets in the middle of the night or early morning, to avoid suspicion,” said the florist.