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Bahrain: Hamad Town Fight Sparks Rumours and Sectarianism

· Written by Yacoub Al-Slaise

Categories: Middle East & North Africa, Bahrain, Ethnicity & Race, Protest

This post is part of our special coverage of Bahrain Protests 2011 [1].

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 [2] 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 [3] 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 [4] at Wednesday's rally [5] at Al-Fateh Mosque in Manama.

@Alshajjar [6] 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 [7] 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 [8] 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 [9] 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 [10] @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 [11] Apparently This is right outside my house. http://yfrog.com/gz9fwmhj [12] Pic via @7amandi my lil bro.

Neighbourhood gathers in Hamad Town curious of what has been happening [12]

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 [13] [ar] also released a video showing some youth throwing stones at police jeeps.

@RedhaHaji [14] Unconfirmed reports may b a continuation of yesterday incident at girl school.Report riot police using tear gas & rubber bullets. #bahrain

@HAS_BuLayan [15] @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 [17]:

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 [18] صور المصآب إلي في مدينة حمد ..http://a2.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/184353_156171754439738_100001407432404_327655_5215856_n.jpg [19]

Young man being treated at hospital after the fight in Hamad Town [20]

Young man being treated at hospital after the fight in Hamad Town

@ifowzan [21] 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 [1].