Monday, Oct 22, 2012
Manama: Kuwaitis on Monday morning started the painful process of licking their wounds after one of the most unpleasant evenings in their country’s modern history.
Police on Sunday evening resorted to tear gas to disperse crowds planning to converge outside the government’s court to protest against the amendment of the 2006 electoral law through a “necessity decree.”
Despite warnings by the interior ministry that it would use its zero-tolerance policy towards “illegal rallies”, demonstrators took to the streets after the Eisha (evening) prayers and attempted to walk through selected areas to reach the designated epicentre of the demonstrations.
However, security men barred them from continuing their progress to the focal point, warned them to vacate the area and eventually used tear gas and stun grenades to break up their assembly.
No official statement was made about the final count of the injuries, but the interior ministry said that 11 security men were injured and several police vehicles were damaged after demonstrators hurled stones at them.
“Groups of demonstrators purposefully staged rallies in the capital’s commercial areas to stall traffic, business and vital interests and access to hospitals,” the ministry said in a statement. “A number of rioters and violence instigators were arrested and transferred to the competent investigation authorities.”
The statement reiterated the pledge by the ministry not to tolerate demonstrations regardless of their motives.
“We urge all people not to break the law. The security agencies, with support from the national guard, had to deal immediately and directly with the public violations and transgressions of the law,” the ministry said.
Reports that some security men refused to obey orders were denied as “baseless.”
A news site, quoting security sources it did not name, reported that nine Gulf nationals were among those arrested in the demonstrations after they tried to attack security men.
“This is a preliminary figure because we have not identified all the detainees,” the sources said. “The figure of non-Kuwaitis involved may be higher. All the detainess will be taken to the Public Prosecution,” the sources reportedly told the City Talks site.
The sources added that the police were trying to identify the owners of several cars with Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) licence plates parked near the demonstration areas.
“The police want to know why they were parked there.”
Reports claimed that a prominent figure in the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood was also arrested and that he was being quizzed.
Former MPs posted on social networks that “there was no need for the use of force by the security men and that the demonstrations were peaceful.”
The number of people who took part in the demonstration, depending on the source, ranged between 2,000 and 150,000.
By Habib Toumi Bureau Chief
Gulf News 2012. All rights reserved.
