Report of the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry

Chapter IV — Narrative of Events of February and March 2011
commenced the clearing operation by instructing the demonstrators using
megaphones. He then stated that women and children had been evacuated
first and provided with transportation out of the area, after which the operation
had begun using sticks and tear gas. The spokesperson stated that shotguns
had only been used for self-defence. He also showed examples of the injuries
that police personnel had sustained during the operation, which included the
cutting of the fingers of one police officer, and displayed the weapons found
at the roundabout after the operation.
237. At 15:00, the BDF General Command issued a statement announcing
that armed BDF units had been deployed to Manama in an effort to ensure the
safety and security of citizens and foreign residents and their property. The
statement affirmed that the BDF was prepared to take punitive action to
restore stability, and called on all individuals to avoid gathering at vital
locations in the centre of the capital.
238. In response, Al Wefaq issued a statement rejecting the narrative
presented by the MoI and refuting the claim that demonstrators at the
roundabout had been armed. A coalition of seven political societies
subsequently issued a joint statement condemning what they described as “the
heinous massacre” perpetrated by police while clearing the GCC Roundabout
of demonstrators. The statement called for members of the Council of
Ministers to submit their resignation and demanded the formation of a national
salvation cabinet to oversee the drafting of a new constitution and enable the
country to overcome the existing political crisis. The statement also warned
that if the GoB continued to adopt policies that violated human rights,
confrontations would occur leading to “unending bloodbaths”. The statement
was signed by Al Wefaq, Wa’ad, the Islamic Action Society, the National
Democratic Assemblage, the Nationalist Democratic Society, the Al Ikha’
National Society and the Al Menbar Progressive Democratic Society.
239. The Al Wefaq members of the Council of Representatives announced
their withdrawal from the Council later that night.
240. Throughout the day, numerous incidents of violence against police,
security patrols and MoI installations were recorded in various areas,
including in the vicinity of the fire department headquarters on the King Faisal
Highway and at the Manama police headquarters. Later in the evening,
incidents of violence and limited fires were reported in Karbabad, Tubli and
Jid Ali.
241. At SMC, medical staff and other individuals began demonstrating in
the car park adjacent to the emergency department. Many of those
demonstrating were protesting the decision to clear the GCC Roundabout, and
were expressing anger at a rumour that had circulated that the SMC
administration was preventing ambulances from going to recover persons
injured at the roundabout. By 21:00, the number of people gathered at SMC
exceeded 2,500 persons. 241 Meanwhile, the Bahrain Teachers’ Society issued
241 See Chapter V.
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