British activists oppose Bahrain F1 race

Dozens of the British activists have staged a protest outside the Formula One office in London to voice their opposition against Bahrain’s Formula One Grand Prix 2012. The activists urged the Formula 1's governing body, the FIA, to cancel the sport event in response to the suppression of anti-regime protests by the Bahraini forces. The protesters believed that the al-Khalifa regime would use the auto race to cover up mounting human rights violations in the country. Human rights campaigner Peter Tatchell also participated in the protest organized by campaign group Justice for Bahrain. He accused the F1 of supporting the killings of pro-democracy protesters in the Persian Gulf kingdom. "I would appeal to Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button to withdraw from the Bahrain grand prix. By participating, they'll be giving respectability to the regime. They'll be sending out the message that it's business as usual," he said. The protesters also sent an open letter to Formula 1 management, stressing the Grand Prix should be stopped due to the rising protests against the Bahraini regime, whose forces have brutally attacked anti-regime protesters since pro-democracy demonstrations began last year. “No sport as usual while Bahrain tyrants kill civilians,” read a protester’ banner. “Cancel Bahrain Grand Prix … No collusion with Bahrain dictators,” said another. Seventeen British MPs have signed a House of Commons motion, calling for the cancellation of the auto race. The MPs warned that the Bahraini regime would use the race as "an endorsement of its policies of suppression of dissent.” Labour leader Ed Miliband also condemned the controversial race being held in Bahrain despite brutality exercised by the regime forces. He also urged Prime Minister David Cameron to join the international calls for the cancellation of the event. However, Cameron resisted the pressure that F1 would endorse the Manama regime. Failing to notice the humanitarian crisis in Bahrain, Cameron claimed that it was "a matter for Formula One.”