Manama - Armoured vehicles patrolled Bahrain's capital on Tuesday in a security clampdown to deter protesters after overnight clashes outside Manama on the first anniversary of a forcibly suppressed pro-democracy uprising.
Youths flung petrol bombs at police cars during skirmishes before dawn, prompting authorities to flood Shi'a villages around Manama with police reinforcements backed by helicopters.
Police fired tear gas at two dozen protesters near the former Pearl Roundabout, focal point of last year's protests, nearly hitting several people as canisters bounced off cars.
“They fired straight at us, they weren't even shooting in the air,” said one protester as a passing driver hauled him into his car. Other groups that appeared later were also doused with teargas and about 30 people in total were detained and taken away.
Prominent activist Nabeel Rajab, who led the protesters, was detained, as were six American activists in the country as part of a Witness Bahrain group to monitor how police handle demonstrators.
The government said in a statement it would deport them. Two others in the group were deported on Sunday after the government said they had entered Bahrain on tourist visas.
“People coming to visit Bahrain need to understand that lying on immigration documents is against the law and they will face the consequences of their actions,” an immigration department official was quoted as saying.
The re-emergence of armoured personnel carriers for the first time since martial law was lifted in June underlined the concerns of the Sunni Muslim-led monarchy about a new explosion of civil unrest by Bahrain's disgruntled Shi'a majority.
Shi'a protests have intensified before the anniversary of the uprising, when mainly Shi'a protesters occupied Pearl Roundabout for a month before security forces aided by Saudi troops broke up the movement that was inspired by revolts in Egypt, Tunisia and elsewhere in the Arab world.
No deaths or injuries were reported. At least 35 people, including security personnel, died during the protests last year.
The growing anger among Shi'as, who complain that they are treated as second-class citizens, shut out of many state jobs and given limited access to good housing, is a complicated challenge for a Sunni ruling family in power for over 200 years.
Bahrain escaped severe international censure for crushing last year's revolt. The Gulf island monarchy is a Western ally, hosting the US Fifth Fleet to counter Shi'a Iran across the Gulf. Yet the United States suspended a $53-million arms deal until it sees “more progress” by the government on reforms.
The closely guarded roundabout, with a now-demolished giant concrete edifice featuring a pearl, was renamed al-Farouq Junction, but is still closed to traffic. Security was beefed up in recent days as opposition activists sought to reclaim the symbolically rich space.
On the eve of the anniversary, hundreds of protesters broke away from an authorised opposition party rally to march down the main highway into Manama, heading for the roundabout, before police stopped them with teargas and rubber bullet pellets.
Street battles ensued with youths throwing petrol bombs, rocks and iron bars. They chanted in favour of Hassan Mushaimaa, a jailed Shi'a leader who called for a republic last year.
The junction remains enclosed by barbed wire on most sides and security guards have set up an encampment nearby.
King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, in a televised speech on Monday, told Bahrainis he remained committed to reforms launched a decade ago, a process the opposition dismisses as cosmetic.
“(This) marked the launch of a development and modernisation process, which is still moving forward to meet the aspirations of our loyal people in all areas,” said the king.
He said he had pardoned 291 prisoners, but they did not include those arrested during last year's revolt. The opposition demand the release of 14 leading figures who were jailed by a military court for allegedly trying to stage a coup. - Reuters