Report of the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry

Monday, 21 February 2011
Report of the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry
286. Demonstrations and protests continued throughout this day in various
parts of Bahrain, including at the GCC Roundabout. The most distinctive
feature of the day’s events was the organisation of a mass rally in support of
the ruling family.
287. The earliest recorded demonstrations were in Sanabis, where 100
people gathered at the Dana Roundabout at 10:30 and marched down Road 28
towards the GCC Roundabout, by which time the group had grown to around
500 people. Later that day, also at the Dana Roundabout, a group of around
150 sportsmen gathered to participate in the demonstrations. A smaller group
of protesters gathered at the Manama Municipal Council building.
Meanwhile, a group of around 100 seamen gathered at the Ajam Grand
Ma’tam at 15:30 and then marched, first towards the fish market where an
address was delivered, and then onwards to the GCC Roundabout. Later in
the afternoon, a large group of around 2,000 people marched to the Sitra
cemetery to commemorate those who had lost their lives during the
confrontations of the earlier days, while at 16:30 a smaller group of protesters
gathered at the main roundabout in Karzakan.
288. At SMC, protesters erected tents and platforms in the parking lot
adjacent to the emergency department. Political figures, opposition leaders
and members of the medical staff gave speeches from the platform at different
times during the day. By 15:00, the number of people at SMC was estimated
to have reached 300. 246
289. By the early evening, a number of protest marches left from various
parts of Manama and headed towards the GCC Roundabout. One march with
around 100 people left the vicinity of Al-Sadeq mosque at 18:40, while a
much larger march with almost 3,000 protesters left the Daih district at 19:30.
290. By late afternoon, groups of protesters began to gather at the Al-Fateh
Mosque in a large demonstration that attempted to provide an alternative
forum to the GCC Roundabout, and to elaborate a relatively moderate set of
reform demands. The number of people was reported to have exceeded
100,000 by 19:30. According to MoI and some media, by 20:30 the number
of people participating in this demonstration increased to 400,000, although
many other estimates place the number at below 120,000, some of whom were
non-residents of Bahrain.
291. The demonstration began with a prayer led by Sheikh Abdullatif Al-
Mahmood, who then announced the establishment of an unofficial group
called the “The Gathering of National Unity”. He read out the group’s first
communiqué, which included the following:
a. The Gathering of National Unity was established by a group
of religious and public figures to provide a platform for those
in society who have no political or institutional affiliation to
express their opinion.
246 See Chapter V.
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