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MANAMA: Tens of thousands of supporters of Bahrain's Shia-led opposition poured into a Manama square on Tuesday calling for the government's downfall in the largest rally in more than a week of protests.
Streets of the capital were clogged as protesters marched from the capital's Bahrain Mall to Pearl Square, the focal point of anti-regime demonstrations, an AFP correspondent said.
Those leading the protest carried a large banner reading, “The march of loyalty to martyrs”, while a poster strung from a bridge read in English, “No dialogue before the downfall of the ruling regime.”
The banner carried by the crowd bore the photographs of seven “martyrs”killed by security forces, the last of whom succumbed to his wounds Monday and was buried earlier Tuesday.
“The people want the fall of the regime,” protesters chanted in unison, waving red-and-white Bahraini flags as they swarmed into Pearl Square.
Thousands of women dressed all in black chanted slogans against Bahrain monarch Hamad bin Issa al-Khalifa.
“May your hands be paralysed, Hamad,” they shouted. “Down down Khalifa,” the crowds chanted, condemning Prime Minister Sheikh Khalifa bin Salman, the uncle of king Hamad who has been in office since 1971 and who is widely despised by the Shias.
“Our aim is either victory or martyrdom,” said 20-year-old Mohamed, who refused to give his family name out of “fear of oppression.””After the massacre of Thursday... I don't believe in any dialogue,” he said, referring to a police raid on Pearl Square very early Thursday that left four dead and scores wounded.
Another protester, Saeed, 32, said he had turned out to “call for the downfall of the regime, and support unity between Sunnis and Shias.”
"We don't have a problem if elections bring a Sunni or a Shia ruler. The most important thing is to have egalitarian distribution of wealth among both communities,” added the 32-year-old father of two who earns 200 dinars per month.
The rally marked the first to be officially called for by political associations since protests started on February 14 in response to calls by cyber activists inspired by uprisings in Tunisia and Egypt.
The Shia opposition, which quit parliament in protest at the killing of demonstrators, said it wants a “real” constitutional monarchy and a peaceful alternation of power.
Tuesday's protest comes after pro-government Sunnis rallied in their thousands at a Manama mosque Monday evening pledging loyalty to the al-Khalifa family, and calling on protesters to answer an invitation by Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad to engage in wide-reaching dialogue.
It also comes despite King Hamad bin Isaa al-Khalifa answering a crucial opposition demand by ordering the release of political prisoners and halting trial procedures against others.
Shia opposition MP Abduljalil Khalil told AFP the prisoner release was an opposition demand so Crown Prince Salman could “prove his seriousness in calling for dialogue.”
The Islamic National Accord Association (INAA) which is the main Shia formation and controls 18 seats in the 40-member parliament, had demanded along with other opposition groups, the release of prisoners before considering the crown prince's call for dialogue.
