Attacks on Police in Bahrain
Ministry of Interior of Bahrain confirms orchestrated attacks on police forces after cleric calls to “Crush Them”. The violent attacks on police across Bahrain were witnessed on Tuesday.
Information Affairs Authority, Manama, 25 January 2012: An official at the Ministry of Interior (MOI) confirmed that Public Security forces faced extensive violent attacks across the Kingdom of Bahrain on Tuesday (24 January).
By 10:00 PM there were reports of at least 41 significant injuries among police – as a result of these attacks – with two police men requiring critical care at the Bahrain Defense Force (BDF) Hospital, including one with severe burns.
Police were met by masked and armed men and women, as well as children in some cases. The worst clashes were centered in Duraz, Sanabis, Dair and Al-Ekr.
Police were met by masked and armed men and women, as well as children in some cases. The worst clashes were centered in Duraz, Sanabis, Dair and Al-Ekr, with attackers hurling metal rods, rocks, bottles and petrol bombs directly at the riot police. The nature of the attacks reflected a serious escalation in the violent tactics of groups and individuals supporting the political opposition.
Tuesday’s attacks on police came in response to a sermon delivered by Ayatollah Isa Qassim. The cleric is often identified as the spiritual head of the Al Wefaq National Islamic Society which has been behind much of the opposition to the Bahrain government and has thus far refused to engage in any of the offers made by the government to resolve the crises and usher in broader reforms. 
Qassim, who studied in Qom (Iran), preaches in a mosque in Duraz, one of the hardest hit areas in Tuesday’s violence. During last Friday’s prayers he called for his followers to “crush” police who he described “the low life foreigners that walk in our streets”.
The press release above has been issued by Information Affairs Authority, P.O. Box 253, Isa Town, Kingdom of Bahrain Tel: (+973) 17 872 556 / Fax: (+973) 17 682 777.
For press enquiries, please contact the Press Office on press@iaa.gov.bh or Miss Luma Bashmi on lbashmi@iaa.gov.bh.