The protests which started on Monday turned bloody when a protester succumbed to injuries and the second death reported during the funeral procession of the first victim on Tuesday.
Overall, Wednesday was a clam day but Thursday turned bloodiest day since Monday during an evacuation operation of Pearl Roundabout which carried out by security forces in the early hours of the day, which according to the Ministry of Interior spokesman becomes ‘necessary to intervene’.
Brigadier Tariq Hassan Al Hassan, the Ministry of Interior (MOI) spokesperson in a statement confirmed the evacuation of the Pearl Roundabout by the law enforcing agencies.
“The security forces of the Interior ministry tried all opportunities for dialogue with the protectors, to which some responded positively and left quietly. While others refused to obey the law and that led to interference to make them leave,” he said.
Brigadier Tariq said that security forces have been keen to be self-control and communicate with protesters through public figures to end the sit-in peacefully, ensuring legal practice within this institutional state.
“Some of the protesters exploited this tolerant atmosphere to impose illegal practices and disturbed the citizens and residents by stopping them in checkpoints they made for vehicles and passerby in the surrounding areas of the roundabout. This is considered as a major lawbreaking practice for spreading fear among the public and affecting commercial and economic activities,” he said.
The spokesperson affirmed that the MOI had received many complaints from the public of the massive personal and economic affects they had been suffering.
He said that the protest in such vital area had great affect on national economy, trade, tourism and public interests and led to traffic crisis.
Brigadier Al Hassan called upon people to respect the constitution and the law while expressing their freedom of expression and to show patriotism and concerns for the interests of the country.
There have been reports that around 700 protesters taken to the Kingdom’s main hospital Salmaniya Medical Complex where about 100 injured and were taken for treatment. The unconfirmed reports put the number of deaths in Thursday clashes to four. The protesters were chanting anti police slogans and demanded the arrest of those killed in the clashes.