Seven men have been arrested in Dubai after an armed fight involving machetes.
Dubai Police said suspects on two sides fought in public and damaged property.
A video of the incident on Tuesday night showed men with weapons smashing the windows of parked cars.
“The group of African people appeared in a viral video on social media platforms while fighting in a public place and damaging properties,” Dubai Police said in a statement.
A person who shot footage of the fight said it took place in Al Quoz, which police declined to confirm. No members of the public were injured.
A criminal case has been registered against the suspects and they will be referred to prosecutors.
Police warned the public against "unacceptable behaviour that disturbs public safety".
The video, the sharing of which could be a criminal offence, shows several men armed with blades running along a street.
As some get out of a parked car, a man armed with what looks to be a machete smashes the vehicle’s windows.
Two passengers and the driver escape from the driver’s side and walk away.
At least four more men are seen also armed with sharp tools, and some were filmed running back and forth in the otherwise empty street, screaming and shouting.
Dubai Police urged community members to report crimes through its ‘Police Eye’ service on the Dubai Police app or by calling the emergency hotline 999.
The force also warned the public against publishing or forwarding the footage to avoid legal accountability, in accordance with article 52 of the UAE Federal Law No 34 of 2021 on countering Rumours and Cybercrimes.
A member of the public who circulates such footage could face a fine of up to Dh100,000 ($27,225).
Inside Dubai Police's command centre: in pictures
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Officers field calls at the Dubai Police Command and Control Centre. All photos: Reuters -
Dubai Police responded to more than a million emergency calls in the first quarter of 2021, with the majority answered in less than 10 seconds. -
The average time for police patrols to reach emergency scenes was 2.47 minutes. -
Monitoring screens provide officers with a bird's eye view of the city streets. -
Dubai Police's non-emergency call centre number – 901 – received 170,323 calls in the first quarter of the year. -
Dubai Police receive more than five million calls on 999 every year – 75 per cent are non-urgent cases.
