Jeeper

Yep - typical of a lot of people in this country.....acting like 5 yr olds running off to tell on others.

Do the police really need to get involved in this sh.ite

If I insult a (person of certain nationality) he runs off to the police like a f'n cry-baby.....FFS....

Spugsy

If it was me, I'd stand my ground as much as I could, and if the police order you to buy one, then I guess you have to.

Patsy Stoned

MH, I really don't think the police will be bothered about something like this..they are not a local family so I would stand your ground darling xxx

Confucius

In my logic, the analogy would be as follows:
- The boy brought in a forbidden item into school. In this case, it's a phone. What if he brought in a knife (Swiss Army, and not the butcher type), or a pocket TV, (insert item not used at schools). A forbidden item is a forbidden item. Would anyone, let alone the Police, interfere if that were the case.
Had the incident happened on the street, or in a mall, then the whole circumstance change to their favour.

You have leverage in terms of the principle related to the incident.


Denny Crane...Lock and Load...

norsk

I reckon he's bluffing! And even if he isn't he is more than likely to be told to go away by the police.

Your other option would be to turn this around so that he's the one feeling the squeeze. Most people would not choose this option as it isn't really what you would call honest, but it's funny what a couple of phone calls to the authorities can achieve. Obviously you can have nothing to do with said calls...

MataHari

the police called last night and mr MH is going to the station at 10...so he obviously wasn't bluffing...

The Dean

Go with him. Tell him not to back down an inch - when the police hear your version, they'll be fine.

Ethos83

This afternoon we'll be talking about finding a school in Holland for MH's DS, who will surely be deported...

As much as logic sides with you and with MH, this is not a logical land...

Millhouse

keep us posted! Take someone with you who can speak arabic... preferably an emirati.

MataHari

mr MHs PRO is coming with him, so that's covered...

Patsy Stoned

I defo think you should go too darling xxx

lionheart

You are presumably aware of the British couple sent to prison for kissing in a restaurant. The case was simply the result of an Emirati woman getting offended. I also know of a Swedish guy who was deported for not allowing an Emirati to push in at a queue at the airport. Life is not fair but we have to act accordingly. Surely its the same in Riyadh.

Patsy Stoned

But this family are not emirati.

Bahtatboy

IMHO there can't possibly be any point in taking this any further than what the initial advice / ruling of the police is...life is just too short and time too precious to waste time on what, in effect, is an insignificant event. YOU have control: don't LET this become significant. If you end up losing, pay up and be on your way--nobody ever said life was meant to be fair.

Don't sweat the small stuff. You'll look back at this in 5 years' time and think, "Yeah, we had a bit of trouble about a broken phone and some areshole, but it was no big deal...".

Good luck, though!

lionheart

I was simply responding to an earlier point raised by Desert Ocean, who seems to think that, if it had been an Emirati family, MH should have told them to bugger off.