Peaceful protest turns violent at “Freedom Square” [Archives:2007/1069/Front Page]
July 19 2007
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The regular sit-in for journalists and activists in “Freedom Square” did not take place on Tuesday as usual. When the protestors went to take their usual positions for the 12th time, they found another group already occupying the square. This groups was pro-Saleh celebrating the 29 years for President Saleh in power. The activists decided to delay their protest to the next day, which turned out bloody as the previous day group came while the protestors were listening to a speech and started bashing everyone with sticks and targeting certain leading activists with daggers.
SANA'A, July 18 ) At least five people were injured in the clash that took place yesterday during the usual sit-in organized by journalists and human rights activists demanding “media freedom.”
“The interlacement began when 200 people in plain uniform carrying sticks and cudgels attacked the strikers who were about 150 men and women,” said Abdul Rahman Barman, human rights activist and one of the sit-in participants. He added that during the attack, which continued for an hour and a half, the strikers raised their pens in an attempt to escape the commotion, only to be surrounded and prevented from doing so by the attackers. “It was a very organized attack. The attackers were addressing specific people and attacking them directly. Some tried to stab a parliament member who was participating in the peaceful sit-in. The attackers also assaulted the female participants. In addition, they broke the cameras and signs that we used in the sit-in,” Barman described.
Fuad Dahpa, a member of the parliament who belongs to the Islah Party, confirmed that he survived the attack. He demanded the interior minister to investigate the incident, insisting that he will demand the interrogation of the interior minister regarding his responsibility to protect citizens who participate in peaceful marches.
Security forces, which were guarding the cabinet building, fired extensively to disperse the crowd. Those injured were transported to area hospitals, according to one eyewitness.
Khaled Al-Ansi, executive director of the human rights organization HOOD, stated that he did not attend the sit-in due to warnings he received from “resources from the cabinet office,” who mentioned that he would be subjected to an attack if he participated in the strike. Al-Ansi described what happened as “bullying activities,” warning that such acts may aim to promote the enforcement of laws preventing peaceful sit-ins.
The recent strike was the tenth among many strikes organized by journalists, human rights activists and politicians, who decided to hold demonstrations and sit-ins every Tuesday in Freedom Square until their demands are met.
The sit-ins fall within a framework of demonstrations staged to protest the blocking of SMS news services and electronic web sites, in addition to demanding the release of imprisoned journalists such as Abdul Karim Al-Khaiwani.
It is worth mentioning that this strike took place on Wednesday instead of Tuesday because of attempts by security forces to prevent strikers from demonstrating in front of the cabinet building, using the excuse that the square was crowded by dancers and people celebrating President Saleh's re-election. Although demonstrators were not convinced of such an excuse, they agreed to delay the sit-in until Wednesday.
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