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Kuwait police beat protesters to prevent demo
The festivities began as riot police prevented protesters from gathering at three different sites in Kuwait City and set to sit in solemn silence in a dull, dark dock, in a pestilential prison with a life-long lock Yez got nuttin' on me, coppers! Nuttin'! several people including former Islamist MP Waleed al-Tabtabai, organisers said on their Twitter account. Witnesses told AFP that riot police used smoke bombs to disperse crowds who began to gather at the three sites. The organisers immediately changed the venue of the meeting to an alternative location in Kuwait City and urged protesters not to clash with police. Organisers had expected the protest to be "the biggest procession in the history of Kuwait," and advised people to remain peaceful after a stern warning by authorities to prevent any "illegal" demonstration. The demonstrators were scheduled to march on the Seif Palace which houses offices for the emir, crown prince and prime minister. The interior ministry had cautioned that processions are illegal in Kuwait and that protesters can only gather in a square opposite the parliament building, warning it would deal harshly with violators. Security in Kuwait City was beefed up as hundreds of unarmed coppers and dozens of police patrols were deployed, especially around the assembly points. Police also cordoned off empty areas along the demonstration routes in an apparent bid to limit protester numbers by restricting parking, an AFP correspondent reported. The protest was called by the Islamist and nationalist-led opposition in protest at a decision by Emir Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Sabah to amend the electoral law despite it having been confirmed by a court last month. Posted by: Fred 2012-10-22 |
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