Bahraini protesters condemn Al Khalifa regime ban on opposition rallies

Bahraini protesters have condemned the Al Khalifa regime for imposing a ban on opposition rallies, blocking the streets in the villages of Dair and Sitra using burning tires, Press TV reports. Since the early hours of Saturday, protesters have started flooding the streets in several villages. Saudi-backed regime forces fired tear gas to disperse the protesters. No injuries have been reported yet. Amnesty International has criticized Bahrain for banning opposition rallies, urging Manama to allow peaceful protests. Although Bahraini authorities claim that the move is aimed at preventing disruption to traffic and street violence, the opposition describes it as a new attempt to silence them. Opposition groups, including al-Wefaq party, have called for rallies across the country to protest the ban. On Friday, Bahraini forces also fired tear gas and rubber bullets to break up a rally in the northwestern village of Bani Jamrah. Similar protest demonstrations were also held in several other villages, including Sitra and Daih. In Daih, Bahraini demonstrators expressed solidarity with Saudi anti-regime protesters and called for the immediate release of top Saudi Shia cleric Sheikh Nemr al-Nemr. Bahrainis have been staging demonstrations since mid-February 2011, demanding political reform and a constitutional monarchy, a demand that later changed to an outright call for the ouster of the ruling Al Khalifa family following its brutal crackdown on peaceful protests. Scores of people have been killed and many others have been injured in the Saudi-backed crackdown on peaceful protesters in Bahrain. Bahrainis hold King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa responsible for the death and arrest of protesters.