Report of the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry

Report of the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry
started taking place at other locations such as the premises of the Council of
Ministers, the Ministries of Interior, Information and Education, and later the
Bahrain Financial Harbour.
649. The participation of students, at secondary, high school and university
levels, in the demonstrations was significant for a number of reasons. First, it
meant that the number of protestors increased dramatically as thousands of
students participated in marches that usually began at their schools in the early
hours of the morning. Secondly, the geographical extent of demonstrations in
Bahrain expanded considerably due to the fact that students from schools in
different areas were participating. Thirdly, the inclusion of students in the
protest movement raised concerns among parents and families for their safety
because it threatened to cause confrontations between students who either held
different political views or hailed from different backgrounds. The clashes
that occurred at the University of Bahrain on 10 and 13 March further
contributed to the heightened sense of insecurity in Bahrain.
650. Despite escalating their demands and expanding the locations of their
demonstrations, the protestors remained peaceful. In addition, as mentioned
above, since the reopening of the GCC Roundabout on 19 February, police
personnel were exercising considerable self-restraint. No confrontations with
protestors, including those demonstrating at government facilities, were
reported, and no restrictions were placed on access to the GCC Roundabout.
Even though the protestors had not obtained authorisation to hold protests,
their peaceful demonstrations were tolerated by the GoB.
651. Starting in early March, however, a series of events changed the
nature of the protest movement and contributed to the decision of the GoB to
take forceful measures to end demonstrations. The first of these was the
clashes that occurred in Hamad Town on 3 March. This marked the first
major confrontation between Shia and Sunnis. Sectarian tensions increased
when, on 7 March, threats were circulated on internet social media networks,
such as Twitter and Facebook, against a Sunni woman who injured a
demonstrator at the Bahrain Financial Harbor as she left the area after her car
was stopped by demonstrators and she was harassed. In response to the
threats of retaliation made against her, large groups of Sunni men gathered at
her residence to protect her. These and other incidents led to a sense that the
GoB was no longer capable of providing protection, and that Bahrainis would
have to fend for themselves by creating popular committees and
neighbourhood checkpoints. This sense of insecurity was heightened as
groups of armed vandals attacked foreign workers, threatened private homes
and destroyed private property in various neighbourhoods. The protests
seemed to enter a different phase.
652. Also on 7 March, three opposition groups proclaimed the Coalition
for the Republic, which called for the establishment of a democratic republic
in Bahrain. This further heightened fears among some in the Sunni
community that the protest movement was adopting maximalist and radical
positions. Clashes such as those that occurred on 10 March at the Saar High
School for Girls and the violence that took place at the University of Bahrain
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