See How The World Responded When These Young Iranians Were Arrested For Dancing To 'Happy' On Video
It's such a shame when the law of the land epically fails to keep pace with culture. Case in point below. This certainly isn't the most egregious example, but it is an interesting situation where archaic rules and pop culture collide, sparking an international commotion. Suffice it to say, the outpouring of support for these young people has been overwhelming.
Here's the full (and utterly delightful) fan video that's causing such a stir:
The song creator himself expressed his disappointment over the situation:
It's beyond sad these kids were arrested for trying to spread happiness http://t.co/XV1VAAJeYI
— Pharrell Williams (@Pharrell) May 21, 2014
And contrary to the actions of Tehran police, Iran's president later tweeted words of support, presumably, for the young people who were arrested:
" #Happiness is our people's right. We shouldn't be too hard on behaviors caused by joy." 29/6/2013
— Hassan Rouhani (@HassanRouhani) May 21, 2014
Update: Since this story broke, several of the people involved in the video have been released, but the video director remains in custody. We've yet to know what legal repercussions they'll face.