RIYADH: As concerns grow over the current situation in Riyadh, people in the capital’s Diplomatic Quarter are continuing with their daily routines, with a Saudi citizen and a South Korean student describing a sense of normality and security during street interviews with Arab News.
Speaking from the Diplomatic Quarter, Saudi citizen Haifa Abdullah said the situation had not changed her outlook on daily life, expressing confidence in the Kingdom’s ability to protect its citizens.
“The situation is safe and secure, and nothing will stop us,” Abdullah said. “Our lives and dignity are protected, and the government has not fallen short in its responsibilities.”
She said people should not allow fear to prevent them from continuing their everyday activities, adding that life should carry on as usual, including going to work and maintaining normal routines.
“We should not stay in our homes out of fear,” she said. “Our lives should not change because of the situation.”
Abdullah also reflected on faith and the uncertainty of life, saying people could face danger anywhere, but that this should not prevent them from living their lives.
Her comments reflected a determination to maintain a sense of normality amid uncertainty, as she voiced confidence in the authorities’ efforts to protect the public.
Haneen Mohammed, a Saudi mother, also visited Riyadh’s Diplomatic Quarter on Sunday with her family and children, saying she felt safe and confident despite the current situation.
“Everything is fine. Things are normal, very normal,” she said, adding that she had not felt afraid because of her confidence in the Kingdom’s leadership.
Mohammed said previous experiences with similar situations had helped strengthen her sense of reassurance and security.
“We’ve experienced similar situations many times in the past, and thankfully, they passed easily,” she said.
Describing her feelings about continuing her daily routine, Mohammed said the situation had not significantly affected her family’s activities.
“What’s happening isn’t really affecting us. We’re going about our day as usual, going out, visiting places, and everything is continuing normally,” she said.
She added that her family continued to visit local parks and Oud Square, a shopping complex in the Diplomatic Quarter, where they could spend time together and take their children out.
In a separate interview, a South Korean high school student described a relaxed atmosphere while sitting at a cafe in the Diplomatic Quarter.
The student, who has been living in Saudi Arabia for around two and a half years, said she had arrived at the cafe earlier in the day.
“I’m generally doing fine,” she said, describing the atmosphere around her as safe and saying that people appeared relaxed and were going about their usual activities.