Bahrain: Hamad Town Fight Sparks Rumours and Sectarianism

This post is part of our special coverage of Bahrain Protests 2011.

On Thursday night, a fight broke out in Hamad Town, southwest of Manama, between youths which later escalated to larger numbers with reports saying over 200 joined the fight using wood blocks, metal bars, knives and even swords.

Twitter, Facebook and Blackberry messages exploded with alerts ranging from news, rumours, finger pointing and sectarian slurs. Other users were at a loss with the incredible amount of conflicting information not knowing who to believe, especially with a great lack of images and videos of the incident.

@baderkamal Sectarian fights breaking out in Hamad Town. This is how a civil war starts. Bahrain, please protect your citizens.

@iLandBahrain توارد أنباء عن شجار بين بحرينيين في دوار 7 مدينة حمد لأسباب طائفية.. لا اخبار مؤكدة للآن عن التفاصيل

There are reports of a fight between Bahrainis in Roundabout 7 in Hamad Town for sectarian reasons.. No details as of yet

@Mariam_AlMannai Will everyone just CALM DOWN and not jump to the worst case scenario yet??!

Anti government tweeps blamed the Gathering of National Unity group for sparking sectarian tension through their figurehead's (Shaikh Abdullatif Al-Mahmood) speech at Wednesday's rally at Al-Fateh Mosque in Manama.

@Alshajjar يبدو إن الخطاب التحريضي عند الفاتح بدأ يأتي بثماره قبل ان يمر عليه حتى 24 ساعة ! #Bahrain #Feb14

Seems like the instigating and sectarian speech given at Al-Fateh Mosque has bore its fruit in less than 24 hours

@jeefara_BAH خبر عاجل : اشتباك بين مواطنين بحرينين و موقيمين من سوريا في مدينة حمد الدوار السابع و لا زال الشباك مستمر. شكرا عبداللطيف المحمود

Breaking: Fights between Bahrainis and Syrian residents in Hamad Town Roundabout 7 and are still ongoing. Thank you Abdullatif Al-Mahmood

Hamad Town in recent times have had to deal numerous fights and even murders between Bahrainis and who are called “politically naturalized” citizens who usually come from countries like Syria, Jordan, India and Pakistan. Many believed that they caused the fight.

@bahrain14feb الأنباء الواردة عن شجار مدينة حمد أن مجموعة من المجنسين مسلحين بالسلاح الأبيض والأخشاب هاجموا مجموعة من البحرينيين كانوا بقربهم #hamadtown

Reports that a group of Naturalized citizens armed with wood blocks and knives attacked a group of Bahrainis near them

@AlToobli اليوم المجنسين هاجموا الشيعة في مدينة حمد .والسنة دافعوا عنهم هذي البحرين سنة وشيعة يد وحدة الله يحفظ البحرين واهلها@m77md #bahrain #unitebh

Politically Naturalized Citizens attacked some Shias in Hamad Town. The Sunnis came and defended them (the Shia). This is Bahrain, Sunnis and Shias together as one Allah bless Bahrain and its people

@omklthom @morningdewq8 @b0rashed انا سمعت من ربعي سنه ان الشيعه دشوا عليهم في بيوتهم في مدينة حمد وسمعت من ربعي شيعه ان بلطجيه سنه طقوهم.منو فيهم صح

I heard from my Sunni friends that Shias attacked and entered their homes, and I heard from my Shia friends that they were attacked and hit by Sunni thugs. Who should I believe?

@eyade Apparently This is right outside my house. http://yfrog.com/gz9fwmhj Pic via @7amandi my lil bro.
Neighbourhood gathers in Hamad Town curious of what has been happening

Riot police intervened with reports of tear gas used on the people gathered near the roundabout. A video by pro government group The Truth About February 14th [ar] also released a video showing some youth throwing stones at police jeeps.

@RedhaHaji Unconfirmed reports may b a continuation of yesterday incident at girl school.Report riot police using tear gas & rubber bullets. #bahrain

@HAS_BuLayan @RedhaHaji i live in dawar (roundabout) 8 tried going to the dawar (roundabout) 7 couldn't stopped by police tried using shortcuts same result trying to get info

Video of youth throwing stones at Police jeeps. Courtesy of The Truth About February 14.

This video by YouTube user devilish7amood:

فيديو يبين حمل المجنسين للأسلحة في شجار مدينة حمد البحرين يوم 3-3-2011

دار شجار في مدينة حمد البحرين يوم الخميس 3-3-2011 بين المجنسين و البحرينين في دوار 7

لاحظوا اللهجة و تعرفون إنهم مجنسين و تشاهدونهم رافعين الأسلحة من مربعات خشب و غيرها

فليعرف الناس الحقيقة إن المجنسين هم من حملوا السلاح

A video showing Politically naturalized citizens (PNC) carrying weapons at the Hamad Town Fight 3/3/2011. The fight was between some PNCs and Bahrainis at Roundabout 7. You can tell by their accents that they are PNC and are carrying wood blocks as weapons. Let the people know that they are the ones carrying weapons.

The fight resulted in one young man getting injured and was taken to hospital.

@alntai صور المصآب إلي في مدينة حمد ..http://a2.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/184353_156171754439738_100001407432404_327655_5215856_n.jpg
Young man being treated at hospital after the fight in Hamad Town

@ifowzan ما حصل في مدينة حمد اليوم جريمة طائفية قذرة يوقدها خونة الوطن..

What happened today in Hamad Town was a dirty sectarian crime led by traitors

This post is part of our special coverage of Bahrain Protests 2011.

Written byYacoub Al-Slaise

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2 comments

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[…] wooden planks, knives and swords were used. A good summary of this recent event is available on GlobalVoices. This is not the first time troubles between these groups […]

5 March 2011, 16:48 pm
Pingback: Tit for tat: refueling sectarian tensions in Bahrain « Old-fashioned commentary on contemporary Bahraini politics – تحليل ذو طراز قديم للسياسة البحرينية المعاصرة

[…] Hamad Town has in the recent past witnessed ethnic and sectarian violence mainly in the form of large school fights and brawls between youths who resorted to using knives, metal bars and wooden sticks. Riot police promptly intervened, putting […]

23 August 2011, 23:42 pm

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