Protesters certainly do like to gather in squares, don’t they? This is no less true of Bahraini protesters who have marched on and occupied Bahrain’s Pearl Square this morning in a show of resistance against their violent ejection from the square a few days ago.
Bahrain, the latest Middle-Eastern country to be rocked by determined and energetic anti-government demonstrations, has been ruthless in quashing demonstrations; calls by Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad bin Isa Khalifa on Friday for a peaceful resolution were rejected by the the leading opposition party. Protesters had tried to enter the square Friday but were fired upon by security forces and repelled with rubber bullets and birdshot.
Bahrain’s deadly response to protests, leaving at least 6 dead, only steeled Bahrainis’ determination for change all the more and as the sun rose on Saturday people made another attempt on the square. Seemingly, there was some reconsideration of strategy going on within the Bahraini government as this time around police and military have relented and protesters have been able to peacefully occupy the square.
The atmosphere in the square is being described as “euphoric” and as demonstrators hunker down for the night in tents calls for complete overthrow of the regime are becoming increasingly loud.
Elsewhere, things aren’t looking so bright; in what is being called a “day of rage” 15 mourners were reportedly killed in the Libyan city of Benghazi when security forces fired on them while they were attending a fucking funeral.
From Al Jazeera:
A doctor from Benghazi told Al Jazeera that the Al Jalah hospital where he works had received 15 bodies and was treating numerous people following the shootings at the funeral.
He said the hospital had counted 44 deaths in total in three days, adding that it struggling to treat the wounded.
“This is not a well-equipped hospital and these injuries come in waves. All are very serious injuries, involving the head, the chest and the abdomen. They are bullet injuries from high-velocity rifles.
In Algeria, riot police dispersed a pro-democracy demonstration of about 50 people with batons. Such restraint!
VOA News, Al Jazeera, picture via NYT
13 thoughts on “The Day in Demonstrations: Protesters Reoccupy Bahrain’s Central Square”