MANAMA, 22 May 2004 — Thirty-five people including five policemen were injured here yesterday when a peaceful protest condemning the US attacks on Najaf and Karbala turned violent after police fired tear gas into crowds.
Protesters set a police jeep ablaze after scores of people were injured when riot police fired tear gas and rubber bullets.
Among the injured were seven-year-old Sayed Sadiq Sayed Jafer and Jawad Ferooz from the Al-Wifaq Society, a leading Shiite group, who were injured in the head by rubber bullets. They were both said to be in stable condition.
Twelve-year-old Abdullah Yousif Al-Aradi suffered a broken arm while four Shiite clergymen had to be treated for tear gas inhalation.
The protest, which had been called by the Shiite clerics, began peacefully from the Seef Roundabout in the heart of the capital and was planned to march for five kilometers to the Lulu roundabout and back.
Clerics lead a crowd of thousands chanting anti-American slogans and denouncing the attacks on Shiite holy sites in Iraq and US-Israeli cooperation in what they said was an attack on Islam.
“Death to America...death to Israel,” chanted the protesters. Marchers, some in white shrouds, carried portraits of Iraq’s top Shiite leader Ali Al-Sistani, who has urged US forces and Sadr’s militia to withdraw
Halfway through the rally riot police set up a roadblock and fired tear gas when the marchers refused to turn back.
The marchers continued to march forward hurling stones at riot police and burning the jeep as police retreated to the roundabout.
Clerics were able to calm the crowds and turn them back following the clashes.
The marchers called for an end to the US-led occupation of Iraq and demanded coalition troops leave the two cities immediately.
There were no immediate reports of the number of arrests.
