Bahrain the forgotten island...
- 17 April 2013 10:38225660Tear gas used to quell Bahrain F1 protests
Government accused of rounding up troublemakers ahead of lucrative Grand Prix
Security forces fired tear gas to disperse protesters at a secondary school in Bahrain
as calls grew for this weekend's Formula One race to be called off due to escalating violence.
The skirmishes came after the arrest of a student at the boys' school, amid accusations that
the government is arbitrarily arresting potential troublemakers ahead of the Grand Prix.
The Interior Ministry said that "thugs" at Al Jabriya School in the capital Manama had been
dealt with in line with the law.
Authorities have doubled efforts in recent weeks to quell unrest that has blighted the country
for the past two years, since protesters, largely from the country's Shia majority, took to the
streets complaining of widespread discrimination under the country's Sunni monarchy.
Bernie Ecclestone, the head of Formula One - the coffers of which are boosted by $40m (£26m)
in hosting fees from Bahrain - has so far resisted calls to call off the race. He likened the
demonstrators to those protesting Baroness Thatcher's funeral, saying "people use these
things when there is an opportunity". His refusal to reconsider comes despite the fact that
often violent demonstrations and scuffles with security forces have ramped up over the past
week as protesters demand that the race is cancelled. A series of small explosions rocked the
country on Sunday, adding to security concerns.
The blasts, one of which destroyed a car in the city's financial district, caused no casualties
but the Coalition of February 14 Youth claimed responsibility and threatened further action if the
race was not called off, in a campaign it has called "volcanic flames". The hacktivist group Anonymous
also issued a threat to wreck Mr Ecclestone's "little party", calling on him to "cancel your blood race now". - Keith Sansum1
- Location: london
- Registered: 25 Aug 2010
- Posts: 23,948
17 April 2013 19:24225754yep and doesnt sound goodALL POSTS ARE MY OWN PERSONAL VIEWS - Brian Dixon
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
17 April 2013 19:29225756another good f1 race day then.
- 18 April 2013 10:52225866Bahrain protests to be stepped up before grand prix, says rights group
http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2013/apr/17/bahrain-grand-prix-human-rights
BTW
I remember an afternoon TV programme a good few years ago was doing much to give young people a shot and presenting to camera. One young man was doing especially well until it came time to remind viewers of coming events, one item being a Grand Prix, which he (quite understandably) pronounced, 'Grand Pricks'.Ignorance is bliss, bliss is happiness, I am happy...to draw your attention to the possible connectivity in the foregoing. - 18 April 2013 11:08225868He was talking about the then Labour government Tom !!
Roger - 18 April 2013 11:14225869Pre Blair, Roger...suck on that.
Ignorance is bliss, bliss is happiness, I am happy...to draw your attention to the possible connectivity in the foregoing. - Brian Dixon
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
18 April 2013 14:19225889must be thatcher then.
- 18 April 2013 14:57225896Don't citizens in Bahrain all get entitlement to a free house, exemption from tax and free access to university?
Like in Libya before the riff-raff took over.
Their problem there is to do with well-off people shouting for something to do with something we have nothing to do with.Chanters, Drums and Drones Potty Time http://youtu.be/99fMqpjnXYA
Rule Britannia!
Kent First http://youtu.be/04F3mAP3fV4 Keep banging on http://youtu.be/qYCU_SKmkGQ - 20 April 2013 18:35226209Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone has branded the government of Bahrain "stupid" for hosting a Formula One Grand Prix, as it gives a platform for protests.
"Opponents of the kingdom's Sunni Muslim regime use Formula One's global spotlight to focus their displeasure against the ruling Al Khalifa family.
On Saturday thousands of protesters blocked a major motorway in an anti-government march.
Ecclestone said: "The government here are really in a lot of ways stupid to put this race on because it's a platform for people to use to protest."
Asked whether Bahrain should be allowed to host a race because of its questionable human rights record, Ecclestone said it was not F1's job to make moral judgement and called on the people of Bahrain to observe the country's laws.
"We don't go anywhere to judge how a country is run," he said. "I keep asking people human rights are. I don't know what they are.
"The rights are; the people that live in a country abide by the laws of the country, whatever they are.
"I might be in Africa and I can do 200km/h on the highway with no problem. If I come to England and do the same thing, I'm in trouble.
"So it's a case of: whatever the laws are in a country, people need to respect them."
Ecclestone was also dismissive of a group of MPs who this week called for the race to be scrapped.
He said: "MPs are really good. We see them, like, once a year. We never see them otherwise.
"They suddenly pop up, which is good really because nobody knows who they are and they get their name in the paper.""
http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/news/formula-1-ecclestone-bahrain-stupid-host-grand-prix-123931275.htmlIgnorance is bliss, bliss is happiness, I am happy...to draw your attention to the possible connectivity in the foregoing. - Keith Sansum1
- Location: london
- Registered: 25 Aug 2010
- Posts: 23,948
21 April 2013 06:58226265We do go through this trying to protect everyone and look after everyones civil rightsALL POSTS ARE MY OWN PERSONAL VIEWS