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🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia /Culture & Society

Missing No-Feeding Sign in Mecca Sparks Debate as Officials Blame Bird-Seed Sellers

From Okaz · () Arabic

Translated from Arabic and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

News Named sources Ongoing story
  • A warning sign prohibiting bird feeding disappeared near Al-Khansaa intersection in Mecca, where pigeons gather heavily.
  • The Holy Capital Municipality said bird-seed sellers may have removed the sign and reported similar incidents at other locations.
  • The sign warned of continuous monitoring and fines of up to 1,000 riyals, while sellers continued offering small bags of grain near traffic signals.

A warning sign telling visitors not to feed birds has disappeared from a busy pigeon-gathering area in central Mecca, prompting questions about who removed it. The sign stood near Al-Khansaa intersection and warned that violations could draw fines of up to 1,000 Saudi riyals.

The Holy Capital Municipality believes sellers of bird feed may be behind the disappearance. Municipality spokesman Dhaifallah Al-Khazmari told Okaz that the sign had “disappeared under mysterious circumstances” and suggested that members of the community selling bird seed might have removed it. He added, “Just as they removed many signs, we are suffering from this.”

The sign disappeared under mysterious circumstances.

· Dhaifallah Al-KhazmariThe Holy Capital Municipality spokesman described the missing warning sign and suggested bird-seed sellers may have removed it.

Okaz had previously documented the sign at the site. Its message asked people not to feed birds “to preserve public health and the environment” and noted that violators were subject to continuous monitoring. A later visit found that the sign was gone, even though flocks of pigeons and people feeding them remained at the location.

The newspaper also observed small-bag grain sellers at other sites in Mecca, including locations near traffic signals. Sellers approached motorists and offered the bags for one riyal or more. The municipality said it has faced the removal of several signs across different locations.

Just as they removed many signs, we are suffering from this.

· Dhaifallah Al-KhazmariThe spokesman said the municipality had faced similar removals at other locations.
About this summary

Originally published by Okaz in Arabic. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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