The Capital (Municipal) Secretariat launched a sudden campaign against Jidhafs market vendors in August 2018, one day after the newly appointed municipal director Shawkiyya Hmaidan visited the market.

Bahraini citizen Mohammed Khatam said he received a promise to have his case cleared within a month. On August 27, 2018, Khatam was arrested in front of the former government building in the capital, Manama.