Bahrainis hold mass anti-regime rally

Thousands of anti-government protesters have poured into the streets in Bahraini to demand an end to the rule of the Al Khalifa dynasty.

The protest rally near the capital was organized by the country’s largest opposition bloc, al-Wefaq, and was intended to show that protesters would not back down from their demands.

Reports say protesters traveled from all over the Persian Gulf sheikhdom to join the “Friday of determination” rally.

Protesters also condemned Manama’s violent crackdown on peaceful demonstrators and called for an end to the suppression of dissidents.

The massive protest rally came shortly after top Bahraini cleric, Sheikh Isa Qassim, said that the government’s harsh crackdown on anti-regime protesters has strengthened their resolve to fight for their rights and that use of ”politics of fear” by authorities has failed to silence Bahrainis.

Thousands of anti-government protesters have been staging demonstrations in Bahrain since mid-February, demanding political reforms 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 popular protests.

Scores of people have also been killed and many others have been injured in the Saudi-backed crackdown on peaceful protesters in Bahrain.