Bahrain dictatorship attacks boy’s funeral

From daily The Morning Star in Britain:

Thousands protest at Bahraini youth’s funeral

Thursday 01 September 2011

Bahraini riot police fired tear gas at protesters in Sitra today as they rallied to condemn the alleged killing of a teenager by security forces the previous day.

Despite the heavy-handed policing large crowds shouted slogans against the ruling Khalifa clan, chanting: “Death to Khalifa.”

Fourteen-year-old Ali Jawad Ahmad died on Wednesday after being hit directly in the face by a police tear gas canister.

Isa Hassan, an uncle of Mr Ahmad, claimed police overreacted when confronted by a small group of protesters after morning prayers marking the end of the holy month of Ramadan.

Mr Hassan said the tear gas was fired from about 20 feet away directly at the protesters.

“They are supposed to lob the canisters of gas, not shoot them at people,” he said. “Police used it as a weapon.”

More than 30 people have been killed in clashes between Bahrain‘s Saudi-backed police and civil rights protesters since February.

Thousands march at Bahraini boy’s funeral: here.

See also here.

Amnesty International: Bahrain: Teachers’ military trial resumes: here.

Bahrain medics go on hunger strike over trial. Rights groups say medical workers arrested for allegedly aiding anti-government protesters will not receive fair trial: here.

Chomsky: U.S. has ‘extreme contempt for democracy’: here.

Britain: Campaigners attacked the “shameless” government and arms industry today after it was revealed that they are to speak at a seminar openly extolling the further potential of selling arms to repressive regimes in the Middle East: here.

WikiLeaks: Saudi king “a heavy smoker, regularly receives hormone injections & ‘uses Viagra excessively'”: here.