Dubai: Four Arab women and three Asian men were arrested in connection with a video recording of a spirited petrol station melee that went viral online, the Dubai Police Chief said.

The video captures four Arab women who, police said, were drunk and allegedly assaulted a taxi driver in a petrol station in Al Barsha as they verbally insulted a group of men.

Major General Khamis Mattar Al Mazeina, Dubai Police Chief, said the women who were arrested last week had other cases filed previously against them, including assault and money-related cases.

He said the three Asian men who were arrested included the man who took the video, and two of his friends who helped disseminate the video online. The cybercrime law criminalises all parties involved in such videos, whether they film, edit or share them, he said.

Maj Gen Al Mazeina said people must respect the law and he urged the public not to use inappropriate language or actions or share videos with similar content.

A police source confirmed the report of four women fighting with a taxi driver in a petrol station.

A patrol car was dispatched to the location, where they found intoxicated women fighting with a taxi driver who later told police that the women were smoking in his vehicle, and asked him to stop at the petrol station.

According to the taxi driver, the women refused to pay.

When he asked to be paid, a highly vocal skirmish broke out in the car park.

The case has been transferred to the public prosecution.

Video melee

The video, which appeared to have been taken in the early hours of the morning, shows women attacking a car in one instance, and in other instances becoming physical with a taxi driver and with anyone who tried to stop the fight.

One of the women, wearing a gold party dress, used one of her high-heeled shoes against a man, then hit his parked car with it. She was later recorded attacking the taxi driver, as he appeared to try and defend himself by pushing her away.

Another woman, in a T-shirt and jeans, hit a man and was later restrained by another man. She ended up passing out on the ground, while the man and one of the other women involved tried to put her in a taxi.

The same woman helping the unconscious girl had also pushed the driver in the beginning of the video and attempted to open the doors of a parked car, which seems to belong to the man the first woman was hitting.

A fourth woman, in a black party dress, also attempted to open the car’s doors and was walking around talking on her phone for most of the video.