BAHRAIN.— Hundreds of mourners gathered for the funeral of a teenage protester who was killed by a police vehicle during a demonstration in Juffair, Manama.
The funeral procession for the 16-year-old victim was broken up by security forces firing tear gas into the crowds. Several people collapsed from tear gas inhalation.
Alledgedly, Ali Youssef Bagdar died “after he was hit by a police patrol car” that skidded into a group of protesters from an oil spill on the road.
“Shortly after midnight, vandals had poured oil on Al Shabab road, causing the driver of a police patrol car to lose control of the vehicle and hit the pedestrian, who died at the scene,” a statement issued by Bahrain’s Interior Ministry said.
Authorities are further investigating the circumstances of the boy’s death.
Ibrahim Ali Bagdar, uncle of the deceased, said he rushed to accident with Ali Bagdar’s father but police had cordoned of the area and would not let anybody near the site.
“Our boy was dead and they left him laying on the street for hours,” the uncle said.
The incident occurred just days before The Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry panel was set to release a report on Bahrain protests, in which more than 30 people have been killed since they began in February of this year.
November 26, 2011
Bahrain, Middle East