Bahraini protesters chanting "No to unclean tourism" clashed with riot police outside an exhibition center where Lebanese singer Nancy Ajram was performing.
The planned protest by 150 to 300 Shiite Muslims, including women, went out of control late Wednesday when the protesters, many of them masked, tried to prevent concertgoers from entering Bahrain International Exhibition Centre (BIEC), where the concert was held. Riot police intervened, and the protesters threw rocks, set fire and smashed car windows, The AP reported.
Locals said youths were seen running wild in the area, clashing with police and throwing rocks and stones. Tyres and debris could be seen burning at the roadside and on waste land in the area. Sources reported seeing at least 13 cars, including police vehicles, with their windows smashed in. A number of policemen were also injured.
"We don't want such un-Islamic acts in our country and we'll see to it that these things are not repeated," one protester was quoted as saying.
A Saudi resident in Bahrain, said he was driving to the concert when he was stopped in the road by a group of youths with covered faces who told him to turn his car around and leave the area.
According to The Gulf Daily News, the riots started at 9pm Wednesday night, but were still going on in the early hours of Thursday. Early on Thursday, the rioters smashed sets of traffic lights in the Daih and Seef areas.
Despite the violence, the concert went ahead as scheduled. The Lebanese star took the stage accompanied by 32 musicians and the local band Latin Jazz Ensemble.
Ajram is known for provocative videos where she wears tight, revealing clothing and dances seductively. She is best-known for a clip that shows her swaying her hips and shaking her shoulders while serving customers at an all-male cafe. However, last night Ajram was dressed relatively conservatively in tight jeans, a light T-shirt and a black jacket.
Earlier this week, conservative lawmakers had proposed banning the pop concert, noting that the holy month of Ramadan was about to start, but they were rebuffed by the moderate majority. (Albawaba.com)
© 2003 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
