Saudi king fires chief of protocol for slapping journalist

Saudi king fires chief of protocol for slapping journalist

Riyadh, May 5  Saudi Arabian King Salman bin Abdulaziz al-Saud fired his chief of royal protocol for slapping a television cameraman, an incident that has raised much controversy in the kingdom.

A royal order was issued on Monday relieving Mohammad bin Abdulrahman Altobaishi of duty, the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported on Tuesday.

According to SPA, the order included the appointment of Khalid bin Saleh Alabbad as chief of the royal protocols in the rank of a minister.

The decree does not specify the reasons for the dismissal, but the cause is likely linked to Sunday's assault on the TV cameraman while King Salman was receiving his Moroccan counterpart King Mohammed VI at King Khaled International Airport in Riyadh.

Given the media coverage of the royal meeting, the slap was caught on tape and went viral on social media.