It's a middle-east thing. The police can not do their job, unless the locals are thoroughly impressed with them. In a part of the world where most people think like angst ridden teen-agers, with little self control, these kinds of theatrics impress people. Thuggery is not too terribly far removed from police work in most third world countries, and even less far removed in the middle east.
LOL
#2 Son (Grunt, one each) spent a couple of years chasing hadji around the desert. Claims the hadjis are as bright as a typical 12 YO here in the US.
His favorite (sober) story - the night it rained bullets. (Soccer victory, gunshots in the sir....)