Bahrain cracks down on another demo

Tens of thousands of Bahrainis rally in Diraz, West of Manama, to express their rejection of negotiations between opposition leaders and the government, July 1, 2011

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/187270.html

Bahraini security forces have cracked down on another demonstration, despite the opposition's threat to quit talks with the regime if the people's demands are not met.

The incident took place on Saturday, when a funeral for a victim of the regime's crackdown turned into an anti-regime demonstration as the participants marched toward the capital's Martyr Square, formerly known as Pearl Square.

The angry protesters were shouting slogans and calling for King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa to step down.

Bahraini security forces attacked the demonstrators as helicopters buzzed overhead.

New footage from Manama also showed an old woman hospitalized after inhaling tear gas fired by regime forces on homes in a district of Sitra.

Bahrain's rulers and opposition leaders have started negotiations despite huge demonstrations held on Friday throughout the country demanding that the opposition reject the call for talks with the government.

The main opposition party Al-Wefaq made a last-minute decision to join the National Dialogue but has threatened to withdraw from the talks if the government ignores the people's demands.

In March, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates deployed military forces to Bahrain to help the regime crush nationwide protests that broke out in mid-February.

Dozens of people have been killed so far and hundreds more arrested in the Saudi-backed crackdown on the protests.

The violent repression continues, despite the lifting of a three-month emergency law imposed in March, and Manama is still putting civilians on trial in its so-called special courts.