Bahrainis stage mass anti-regime demo

19 November, 2011 07:21

Bahrainis stage mass anti-regime demo Tens of thousands of Bahraini protesters have taken to the streets near the capital, Manama, to demand an end to the rule of the Al Khalifa dynasty.

Witnesses say the rally in A’ali, about three kilometers southeast of Manama, is one of the largest anti-regime demonstrations in weeks.Â

Waving Libya and Tunisian flags — nations where Arab uprisings have toppled dictatorial regimes– Bahraini demonstrators called on the ruling family to draw lessons from the ousted leaders who resisted against their people’s demands for reform.Â

Some of the demonstrators also carried tents, suggesting an attempt to occupy the site in A’ali, the Associated Press reported.Â

Earlier in the day, hundreds of Bahrainis took to the streets across the country to urge authorities to halt the death sentences given to four anti-government protesters.Â

Bahraini demonstrators also called for the immediate release of anti-government prisoners.Â

Anti-government protesters have been holding peaceful demonstrations across Bahrain since mid-February, calling for an end to the regime which has ruled the sheikdom for 40 years.Â

On March 14, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates deployed police and military forces in the kingdom upon the Al Khalifa regime’s request to help quell protests.Â

Scores of people have been killed and hundreds more have been arrested in the brutal crackdown on peaceful protesters.Â