Bahraini police, protesters clash
Posted on Saturday, April 14, 2007 – 01:28
Bahraini police and protesters clashed in the capital Manama on Friday afternoon as the Gulf island prepared to play host to this year’s third leg of the F1 World Championship.
You can get Grand Prix results by sending an SMS with the message F1 to 34911.
The clashes in Manama quickly spread to adjacent suburbs after police tried to prevent a rally called for by 15 opposition figures in protest alleged government moves to change the island’s demography via illegal naturalization.
The motorsport action on the 5.4-kilometre track in Bahrain started on Friday with two free practise sessions. Qualifying is Saturday and the race over 57 laps is on Sunday.
Bahraini police, protesters clash
Posted on Saturday, April 14, 2007 – 01:28
Bahraini police and protesters clashed in the capital Manama on Friday afternoon as the Gulf island prepared to play host to this year’s third leg of the F1 World Championship.
You can get Grand Prix results by sending an SMS with the message F1 to 34911.
The clashes in Manama quickly spread to adjacent suburbs after police tried to prevent a rally called for by 15 opposition figures in protest alleged government moves to change the island’s demography via illegal naturalization.
The motorsport action on the 5.4-kilometre track in Bahrain started on Friday with two free practise sessions. Qualifying is Saturday and the race over 57 laps is on Sunday.
A senior Bahraini official criticized the protest organizers for failing to obtain proper permits and for intentionally timing it to coincide with the F1 event.
The official noted that members of the group organized an un- authorized rally around the same last year time and provoked heavy clashes in what he said was an attempt to distort the reality of the situation in the country.
Protesters and police initially clashed in the capital, but the violence quickly spread to Shiite suburbs with protesters hurling stones and Molotov cocktails at police who used tear gas and rubber bullets in an attempt to disperse them.
Several cars were damaged during the clashes, with each side accusing the other of intentionally causing the damages.
Ambulances were seen rushing into the areas of clashes but medical sources said that only one person was taken to hospital to be treated for tear-gas inhalation, while several others were treated on the scene.
Clashes ended around midnight in the suburb of Sanabis amid conflicting reports of several rioting youth being detained.
None of the 15 leaders calling for the protest attended the rally, claiming that police prevented them from reaching the area.
Police had a heavy presence surrounding the rally point, but movement into and out of the area was unrestricted according to eyewitnesses.
