Thousands of followers of an influential Shiite cleric stormed Iraq’s parliament on Saturday, for the second time in a week, to protest government formation efforts led by Iran-backed groups.
Iraqi security forces initially used tear gas and sound bombs to try to repel the protesters, causing several injuries witnessed by reporters from The Associated Press. The Ministry of Health said it had received 60 injured patients.
The expected session of Parliament did not take place and there were no legislators in the room.
Heeding calls from cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, protesters used ropes to pull down concrete barricades leading to the gate of Baghdad’s high-security Green Zone. The district is home to official buildings and foreign embassies in the capital.
Supporters of al-Sadr gather at the Iraqi parliament in Baghdad on Saturday to protest the nomination of a rival bloc as prime minister. (Ahmad al-Rubaye/AFP/Getty Images)
Protesters then occupied the parliament floor and raised the Iraqi flag and portraits of al-Sadr. It was the second time in three days that the cleric ordered his followers to sit in the Green Zone. The protests are a pressure tactic used by the cleric to derail government-formation efforts led by his political rivals in the Coalition Framework, an alliance of Iran-backed Shiite parties.
Iraq’s acting prime minister, Mustafa al-Kadhimi, ordered security forces to protect the protesters and asked them to keep their protest peaceful, according to a statement. Inside the Parliament building, the defenses of the security forces became less intense and many were seen sitting and chatting with the protesters.
Protesters show the victory sign as they gather at the Iraqi parliament on Saturday. (Ahmad al-Rubaye/AFP/Getty Images)
Some demonstrators began to move from the parliament towards the Judicial Council building.
“We came today to eliminate the corrupt political class and prevent them from holding a session in parliament, and to prevent the Framework from forming a government,” said 41-year-old Raad Thabet. “We have answered al-Sadr’s call.”
Al-Sadr’s party walked out of government formation talks in June, giving its rivals in the Coordination Framework alliance the majority they needed to move forward with the process.
Many protesters wore black to mark the days leading up to Ashura, which commemorates the death of Imam Hussein, grandson of the Prophet Muhammad and one of the most important figures in Shiite Islam. Al-Sadr’s messages to his followers have used the important day in Shiite Islam to spark protests.
Protesters tear down concrete barricades leading to the gate of Baghdad’s high-security Green Zone. (Ahmad Al-Rubaye/AFP/Getty Images)
Al-Sadr has used his large grassroots following as leverage against his rivals.
On Wednesday, hundreds of his supporters stormed the parliament building after the Marc alliance named Mohammed al-Sudani as its presidential candidate and expressed readiness to form a government despite his threats.