The Ministry of Interior on Saturday said that saboteurs on tried to block the main roads in Bila Al Qadeem area causing chocking of traffic, disrupting public order and causing damages to both public and private property.
“Around 60 people tonight staged an illegal rally Bilad Al-Qadim with the intention of blocking the road and disrupting the traffic,” the Ministry Interior in a statement said, posted on the BNA.
The rioters committed acts of sabotage, it added, hurling Molotov cocktails and stones on the security forces.
“The anti-riot police intervened to disperse the saboteurs and reopen the road, using tear gas and sound gunshots”, Northern Police Directorate said.
The Interior Ministry denied allegations spread through social networking sites the security forces targeted the house and car of Al-Wefaq secretary-general.
“The security forces were about 100 metres from the house and uses tear gas and sound gunshots only-making it difficult to reach the house and car and damage them”, he said. A specialized forensic team went to the site of the incident to investigate.
“No one party has reported the incident – which means that those who cause the damage assume the responsibility”, the officer added.
In a separate statement issued by the Information Affairs Authority (IAA) clarified that security forces were not involved in vandalism case related to Al Wefaq National Islamic Society’s General Secretary.
The General Director of the Northern Governorate Police has said that at around 10:55 PM on Thursday approximately 60 individuals held an illegal procession in Bilad Al Qadeem with the aim of blocking roads and hindering the flow of traffic. They were also involved in vandalism, rioting and hurling Molotov cocktails and stones at policemen. This led to the intervention of police forces to disperse them and reopen the roads by shooting teargas and sound shots.
In regards to what was circulated by some individuals through social media websites claiming that the house and car of the General Secretary of Al Wefaq National Islamic Society were damaged by policemen, the General Director explained that the vandals were approximately 50 meters away from the house and there was a distance of around 50 meters between the vandals and policemen; hence the police were around 100 meters away from the house. Policemen used teargas and sound shots, both which are hurled by hand, and it would have been unlikely or at least difficult for them to throw them far enough to reach the house and the car next to it. It was noted that the shell that was found inside the car and is shown in photos is consistent with the type that is hurled by the hand.
The General Director added that the concerned investigation team went to the scene, even though no complaint was reported by those affected by the incident and stated that those who caused the damages bear the responsibility of what they did.