Beach offences on the rise... sharply

Published Wednesday, November 02, 2011

By Mohammed Al Sadafy

Dubai Police’s beach security patrols charged beachgoers with 1,980 offences during the first 10 months of 2011, compared to 1,534 offences during the whole of 2010.

Lt Colonel Abdullah Al Maziod, Director, Dubai Ports Police Station, said: “These offences included 106 for taking photos of women on the beach without their observation, 135 for causing nuisance to beachgoers, 324 for indecent behaviour and 1,410 offences involving inappropriate beachwear.

At a press conference, Lt Col Al Maziod said these offences have taken place on all the shores of the emirate of Dubai from the beaches of Al Mamzar to Ghantoot and public gardens, sports clubs and hotels overlooking the sea.

Meanwhile, statistics indicate a decline in the numbers of visitors to Dubai’s beach parks from 3.7 million people in 2009 to 3.3 million in 2010.

Lt Col Al Maziod said police is trying to reduce offences on beaches and bringing offenders to court or, in the case of minor offences, make offenders pledge not to repeat the act.

He said: “Other offences included playing ball next to families and not respecting the privacy of families by sitting very close to them even when the beach is not crowded.”

The number of cases of causing nuisance to beachgoers has dropped from 206 in the whole of 2010 to 135 in the first 10 months of 2011, he said.

But the number of cases of taking photos of women beach goers unnoticed increased from 48 in the whole of 2010 to 106 in the first ten months of this year. Cases where the women refused to drop the charge were referred to the public prosecutor, Lt Col Al Maziod said.

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