Sitra, Bahrain – Clashes broke out between hundreds of pro-reform protesters and police in the Bahraini village of Sitra Sunday following the funeral march of a 15-year-old Bahraini youth who died Saturday evening following clashes in the same village. Several injuries were reported among the protesters as police stormed the area to break up the protest, which had attracted thousands despite a police lockdown. Protesters hurled petrol bombs at hundreds of police units as they moved into the village, firing tear gas and rubber bullets. Tension on the street continues to rise with the mounting death toll among protesters, which exceeds 40, according to the opposition, since protests began last February. Sayed Hashem Saeed, the youth buried Sunday, was shot at close range with a tear gas round by riot police as they stormed a protest area in the village Saturday, witnesses said. “He collapsed after being shot and, when other protesters tried to reach him, they fired at them and some were beaten,” a witness who asked not to be named told dpa at the scene Saturday night. Police had surrounded the alley where the protests occurred, but they did not move to treat the injured youth as he lay in a pool of his own blood, gasping for air, a witness said. “They hit us with batons and prevented us from reaching (him),” said one of several protesters who were injured trying to reach the boy. A video posted on YouTube later showed people moving to help the boy after police withdrew. It also showed injuries on his chest and the side of his head and neck. The family received a death certificate that only mentioned a chest injury, without reference to the shooting. In November a commission set up by Bahrain king, Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa, found that excessive force had been used against protesters. However, concrete steps to curb that violence have not been implemented. BM ShortURL: http://goo.gl/K0lr2 Tags: Clashes, Funeral, Police, Protests Section: Bahrain, Latest News
