Clashes Flare in Bahrain on Arab Spring Anniversary

[Hissyspit]

Source: Reuters

Clashes flare in Bahrain on Arab Spring anniversary

Thu Mar 15, 2012 5:41pm EDT

DUBAI (Reuters) - Shi'ite Muslims clashed with riot police in villages across Bahrain on Thursday, the anniversary of a government crackdown last year on a pro-democracy uprising in the Gulf Arab state.

Witnesses said youths and police faced off in Shi'ite areas including Sitra, Diraz, Malkiya, Saar, Jidhafs, Tubli and Bilad al-Qadeem, all districts outside or on the edge of the capital Manama.

Police, who are overwhelmingly Sunni Muslim, fired tear gas, rubber bullets and sound grenades while youths threw petrol bombs - a pattern that has repeated itself almost daily for months.

But the clashes were more intense because of the anniversary of the breakup of protests across the country by force. There were unconfirmed reports of several injuries among protesters from direct hits by tear gas canisters.

Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSBRE82E1A620120315?irpc=932

[Comrade Grumpy]

1. Ah, but this is a good dictatorship, so never mind.