MANAMA, (Reuters) – Bahrain was under tight security yesterday after violent clashes between police and anti-government protesters overshadowed this weekend’s Formula One Grand Prix race meeting in the Gulf state.
The protesters, mostly from the majority Shi’ite Muslim community, blame the Sunni ruling elite for shutting them out of opportunities, jobs and housing, and are keenly aware of the attention the motor race has focused on Bahrain, which in 2004 became the first country in the region to host Formula One. Organisers have rejected calls from human rights groups to cancel Sunday’s race because of what activists see as continuing political repression. The cars take to the track again on Saturday for practice and qualifying sessions. “They need to fix the country first, then they can start looking at Formula One and other events,” said Umm Hussein, one of 10,000 demonstrators who gathered near the capital, Manama, on Friday.
