Protests rage as Bahrain Grand Prix practice begins

[dipsydoodle]

Last edited Fri Apr 20, 2012, 05:47 AM - Edit history (1)

Source: Reuters

(Reuters) - Formula One cars took to the track in Bahrain on Friday, with the government hoping for a successful Grand Prix, while activists are promising to mark it with "days of rage" after more than a year of Arab Spring protests.

On the eve of Friday's practice session, which began at about 0700 GMT, protests had flared in villages surrounding the capital, far from the circuit where the race will be held. Police fired tear gas and stun grenades to disperse demonstrators in clashes that have been building in the week leading to Sunday's round of the World Championship.

Bahrain has been in turmoil since a democracy movement erupted last year following uprisings in Egypt and Tunisia. Protests were initially crushed with the loss of dozens of lives, but youths still clash daily with riot police in Shi'ite Muslim districts, and thousands take part in opposition rallies.

Two members of the British-based Force India team, travelling between Bahrain International Circuit and their hotel in Manama, asked to go home after seeing burning petrol bombs in what the government described as an isolated incident.

Read more: http://uk.reuters.com/article/2012/04/20/uk-bahrain-grandprix-idUKBRE83I0S720120420

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Bahrain F1 security stepped up as practice runs begin.

Security has been tightened in Bahrain in preparation for protests, as Formula 1 cars take to the track for practice sessions ahead of Sunday's Grand Prix.

Security forces fired tear gas and stun grenades to disperse anti-government demonstrations overnight in mainly Shia villages around the capital, Manama.

Activists have promised "three days of rage" at the decision to hold the Grand Prix and the crackdown on dissent.

Correspondents say there is palpable unease about the fate of the race.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-17781138

[Javaman]

1. We would never know here in the states that protests were going on...

there has been a virtual news black out on the Bahrian protests.

Saudi Arabia has been lending military and material support to the kingdom of bahrain to quell the protests.

They are making sure that their own people don't get any ideas and the best way to do that is whole sale killing.

in a teeny tiny article from early last year, it was reported that Saudi f-16's were flying support missions for the kingdom of bahrian to stop the protests.

Who sells Saudi Arabia those jets? and from whom do we get oil?

oh what a tangled web has been woven.

So much is going on there...

U.S. Military Support
http://www.supportbahrainrights.com/?page_id=56
The United States does sell guns to Bahain, which may be harming pro-demcracy protesters. According to the Associated Press artcle U.S. arms sales to Bahrain scrutinized,

Much of the flow of military hardware to Bahrain was for aircraft and military electronics, but the U.S. also licensed $760,000 in exports of rifles, shotguns and assault weapons in 2010.

Bahrain receives military equipment from UK despite violent crackdown
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/feb/14/bahrain-military-equipment-uk

Britain has continued to sell arms to Bahrain despite continuing political unrest in the Gulf state, new official figures disclose.

Saudi Arabian, gulf forces enter Bahrain
http://articles.latimes.com/2011/mar/15/world/la-fg-bahrain-troops-20110315
Reporting from Manama, Bahrain, and Riyadh, Saudi — Hundreds of troops from Saudi Arabia and police officers from the nearby United Arab Emirates have entered Bahrain at the request of the ruling family, a move that further polarized the tiny island nation and marks the first time Arab nations have intervened in another country's affairs amid sweeping unrest in the region.

[jakeXT]

9. Bahrain is home to the 5th fleet and Centcom, while Syria has a port for Russian ships in Tartus.

Last edited Mon Apr 23, 2012, 12:31 PM - Edit history (1)

So it's clear where the US wants "democracy" .....


Naval Support Activity Bahrain (or NSA Bahrain) is a United States Navy base, situated in the Kingdom of Bahrain and is home to U.S. Naval Forces Central Command and United States Fifth Fleet.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naval_Support_Activity_Bahrain

[Javaman]

11. Ah, one more reason we don't get any news about the protests.nt

[MaineDem]

2. They got through both practice sessions

The Force India team didn't take part in the Practice 2 because they didn't want to travel in the dark.

Another team - Sauber - witnessed an incident last night as they were returning to their hotel. A fire on the road but it wasn't targeting them.

Personally, I think being there is wrong for Formula 1. I'm disappointed.

Two more days...

[Blue_Tires]

3. Being there is definitely wrong

But cash money trumps a whole lot of ethical sensibilities...

It's not like there is a shortage of places to run another race...Countries like France and Austria would love to see an F1 event come back...

[dipsydoodle]

4. Twitter : Sky news denied access to report from f1 in bahrain

Stuart Ramsay is in Dubai and has been denied access to Bahrain.

https://twitter.com/#!/ramsaysky/status/193020234859417601

Apparently some journalists already there are being kicked out too.

[Blue_Tires]

10. ol' bernie needs to be ousted over this...

[truebrit71]

12. He needs to be ousted for many things....this is but the latest outrage...

...he is a despicable little tyrant...I still can't get my head around how the former manager of the Brabham F-1 team wound up "owning" Formula One..

[muriel_volestrangler]

5. Note that the Bahrain royal family also owns a third of the (leading) McLaren team

http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/tension-rises-over-bahrain-as-mclaren-795675

so they're even less likely to stop the race.

[2ndAmForComputers]

6. Isn't that the same series that gleefully raced in South Africa during the worst of Apartheid?

Peachy.

[happyslug]

7. Bahrain worried about a "Nika" type revolt???

The Nika riots of 532 AD, saw the Emperor Justinian almost chased out of Constantinople with the people of that city uniting to overthrow him. Justinian barely held onto power (Even Justinian gave credit to his wife, Theodora, for staying in power till his field armies could return and put down, the revolt).

Estimate as to the number of people killed in putting down the riot is up to 30,000 people killed, and it all started during a Chariot race (The Nika riots are often called the worse sport riot ever, in what was clearly the largest City in the World at the time, being the largest city in the world would be held by Constantinople till 1204, when it was sacked by the fourth Crusade,the only crusade ever condemned by the Pope while it was going on).

More on the Nika Riots:
http://penelope.uchicago.edu/~grout/encyclopaedia_romana/circusmaximus/nika.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nika_riots

Other triggers have been used to overthrow governments, Nika is just the largest such attempt in terms of people killed. I mention it for something similar is what appear Bahrain is worried about, thus the massive use of troops, police and other riot control activities.

[dipsydoodle]

8. Bahrain: 'Man shot dead' in protest ahead of Grand Prix

A man has been found dead with gunshot wounds in Bahrain after overnight clashes with police, activists say, a day before Sunday's F1 Grand Prix.

His body was found in the Shia village of Shakhoura, near the capital, Manama, an opposition group said.

On Friday, tens of thousands took part in at times violent protests demanding an end to the crackdown on dissent in the run-up to the rally.

Armoured vehicles are patrolling the streets of Manama ahead of the race.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-17796833