This Video Is Old and Does Not Show a Saudi ‘Halal Bar’ Opening Recently
The Claim
A video depicts a 'Halal Bar' that recently opened in Saudi Arabia.
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Emerging story
Twitter users have been spreading video that purportedly depicts a 'halal bar' that recently opened in Saudi Arabia.
Misbar’s Analysis
Misbar has investigated the claim and found it to be misleading.
The video is not recent and is from at least 2019.
Did a ‘Halal’ Bar Recently Open in Saudi Arabia?
We discovered the videos were uploaded in 2019 and 2020 by using the Twitter advanced search terms "halal," "bar," and "Saudi." However, no evidence or news of a new 'Halal Bar' opening in Saudi Arabia was found.
Saudi Arabia Opened a ‘Halal Bar’ in 2019
According to Arabian Business, Saudi Arabia opened its first-ever halal bar and lounge in Jeddah in June 2019. The nightclub was shut down by authorities a few hours later due to regulatory issues before reopening the next day.
According to Arabian Business, the brand is one of several owned by “Addmind,” a Dubai-based company that operates numerous venues in Dubai and Beirut.
According to reviews and photos from people who visited the Twilight Bar & Lounge that were posted on Google Maps in 2022, the bar is still open.
On Google Maps, some reviewers criticized the bar because it serves alcohol, which is forbidden in Islam.
The most recent post on Twilight's Instagram page was made on August 15, 2022, according to our investigation.
However, we watched some videos of a Twilight bartender on the bar's counter explaining their alcohol-free drink options; the counter differs from the one in the viral video.
Photo Description: Pictures from the Twilight Bar & Lounge counter.
Photo Description: Screenshots from the circulating video.
We also noticed that the bartenders who greeted Twilight's visitors in the opening videos wore uniforms with the brand's logo, unlike the bartender in the alleged footage.
However, we were unable to spot any evidence that the viral video was shot in Saudi Arabia.
The same viral video received comments in 2020 speculating it was not shot in a Saudi Arabia and the bartender and visitor's accents are not Saudi.
Photo Description: A screenshot of some comments on the video posted on Twitter in 2020.
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