Bahrainis take to streets to protest Ayat Al-Hakim martyrdom

By: Ali Al-Qadumi/ Ali Muradi/ Shila Abulhassan

MANAMA, Bahrain: Massive protests continued in Bahrain against the martyrdom last Friday of Ayatullah Sayed Muhammad Baqer Al-Hakim and more than 125 others outside the holy mausoleum of the Commander of Faithful Al-Imam Ali (pbuh) in the holy city of Najaf.

An estimated 12,000 Bahrainis, young and old, men and women took to the streets in the Bahraini capital, Manama on Thursday shouting anti-US, anti-Israel and anti-Saddam slogans and carrying black standards of Hadhrat Abbas bin Ali (pbuh), brother of Al-Imam Al-Hussein (pbuh).

On Thursday night, another huge protest rally was staged after Maghrebain prayers that began from Raas Romman Mosque and culminated at Momin Mosque. Sayed Jawad Al-Widayi led the rally.

Tens of thousands participated in a similar protest on Saturday that began from Sheikh Muhammad Momin Mosque in Manama. The protestors, led by religious leaders including Allamah Sheikh Isa Ahmed Qassem, were holding huge posters of Ayatullah Baqer Al-Hakim and his symbolic coffin. Soon the demonstration turned into a mourning procession. A number of Husseini dirge-chanters: Mortadha Al-Halwachi, Mahdi Sahwan, Aba-dhar Al-Halwachi and Muhammad Khidhar, attended the procession and chanted dirges.

A protest demonstration organized by Jamiyah At-Toiyah Al-Islamiyah was held in Sanabas on Monday.

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