Hundreds of security forces made a show of force in two Saudi cities Thursday to ward off any protests against the royal family, chasing a few would-be demonstrators in the streets and arresting several others, after a dissident called for a day of marches. The London-based dissident Saad al-Fagih, head of the Movement for Islamic Reform in Arabia, had predicted "tens of thousands" of demonstrators would turn out in the capital, Riyadh, and the port city of Jiddah.
| The reforms they're calling for are "Islamic," so my sympathy meter's not particularly stirring... |
Such numbers did not show up, but the threatened show of defiance to the kingdom's ban on protests caused the government to deploy large numbers of security forces, checkpoints and helicopters. Several men and women were reported arrested in both cities, but officials wound not confirm or deny the reports. Several hours after the protests were supposed to begin, the assembly area for the Riyadh protest bristled with police and special forces — but no demonstrators. Helicopters circled overhead and police checkpoints stopped motorists. Policemen were seen frisking a man lying on the ground before placing him in a police car.
Interior Ministry spokesman Brig. Gen. Mansour al-Turki said two men were arrested in Jiddah after firing a pistol in the air, and a security official speaking on condition of anonymity said they might be connected to al-Fagih. During the day, al-Fagih's group told reporters the assembly point had changed to two other locations. But reporters who went to the locations found normal pedestrian traffic and no police. In Jiddah, at least six people were seen being arrested and dozens in small groups were seen running from police. At one point, a volley of gunshots could be heard in an area where protesters were trying to gather. It was not immediately clear what happened. Al-Fagih had called the protests via his satellite television and radio stations and Web site. In the group's boldest challenge to the monarchy, its Web site spelled out "immediate procedures to be taken after the demise of Al Saud" royal family.
| My guess is that the protests were called either in response to or in coordination with Binny's audio tape. I hope somebody's keeping a close eye on these guys. |
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