Bahrainis Protest against UK PM’s Visit, Burn British Flag

Local Editor

Bahrainis took the streets in protest at British Prime Minister Theresa May's visit to the tiny Gulf kingdom which had been cracking down on peaceful protests for years.

The demonstrators rallied in the island village of Sitra on Wednesday evening to condemn London's support for the Manama regime, stomping on a Union Jack.

Skirmishes broke out when regime forces intervened, and fired tear gas canisters to disperse the crowd.

In a related development, Bahraini activists broadcasted photos on social media platforms, showing protesters burning the British flags, in a step manifesting their rejection to the PM's visit.

Other photos also published by activists, showed the British flag placed on the ground, with protesters stepping on it, while shouting out slogans against the Bahraini King, and denouncing the UK stance dubbed "complicit" with the Bahraini regime.

Earlier on Tuesday, Hhndreds of citizens had gathered in "Sitra, Azari, Shakhoura, Karzakan, Maamir, Sind, Aali, Bani Jamra, and other areas of Bahrain, in protest against May's visit, in response to a call by February 14 coalition.

The coalition considered in a statement on Monday, that May's visit is a "cover for the crimes of some Gulf countries, including Bahrain, and a sign to the UK continuous domination on the country."

Moreover, the coalition condemned the UK's continuous stance "against a nation and on the side of tribal dictatorship regimes."

May arrived in Manama on Monday to meet the leaders of the Persian Gulf Cooperation Council [GCC], which is formed by Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, and Oman.

She was welcomed by Bahrain's Prime Minister Prince Khalifah bin Salman Al Khalifah upon her arrival in the country.

Prior to her visit to Bahrain, May indicated reluctance to address the Al Khalifa regime's heavy-handed crackdown on the popular uprising in the country.

She took a cautious line on the issue, saying that human rights abuses should not affect London's trade policy.

On March 14, 2011, troops from Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates were deployed to Bahrain to assist the Manama government in its crackdown.

Scores of people had lost their lives and hundreds of others sustained injuries or got arrested as a result of Al Khalifa regime's crackdown on anti-regime activists.

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team