Report of the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry

Report of the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry
large metal tubes from nearby construction sites, as well as rocks, mounds of
sand and lamp posts, to block these roads.
473. As news of the confrontations at the Financial Harbour spread,
students at the University of Bahrain organised a demonstration at the Sakhir
campus to denounce the use of force against protesters. Reports also indicate
that some students from Bahrain Polytechnic participated in these protests.
While there are conflicting accounts of the events at the university, it is
undisputed that the first gatherings of students began at 08:30. Those students
first marched to the food court area and then moved on towards colleges and
other facilities on the campus.
474. There are two different accounts of what then occurred. Some reports
claimed that pro-government students began to physically attack and verbally
harass the protesting students. Pro-opposition students alleged that
unidentified individuals who were not students and who were armed with
knives, swords and other sharp objects were allowed onto the campus to
confront the protesting students, and that university security did nothing to
stop those individuals.
475. Conversely, other reports claimed that the number of protesting
students gradually increased until it reached around 500. It was claimed that
those demonstrators entered a number of colleges, including the Teachers’
College, the Business College and the College of Arts, where they called for
the removal of the King and the regime, as well as the resignation of the Prime
Minister and the cabinet, and expressed their support for protesters at the GCC
Roundabout and the Financial Harbour. At this point, clashes began to occur
between pro-government and pro-opposition students at a number of colleges
and at the central library. Knives, swords, wooden planks, rocks and other
objects were used during these confrontations, in which a number of private
vehicles were destroyed. There were no reports of firearms being used by
either side.
476. According to pro-government reports, unidentified individuals were
transported from various parts of Bahrain, including the GCC Roundabout, to
assist the pro-opposition students. It was claimed that those persons stormed
the eastern entrance of the university and attacked university security
personnel. As clashes continued, a number of pro-government students and
staff members gathered in the English Language Centre (Building S-20) to
seek refuge. It was alleged that pro-opposition demonstrators then surrounded
the building and began to break its windows and doors. This compelled the
students to move to the second floor of the building to avoid injury.
Thereafter, reports indicated that the demonstrating students set fire to a
classroom on the ground floor to compel the students on the second floor to
leave the building. 248
477. As demonstrations and clashes continued at various areas of the
University of Bahrain’s Al-Sukheir campus, riot police and firefighters were
dispatched to disperse the demonstrators and extinguish the fire in Building S-
248 See Chapter VII, Section C.
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