Protesters
storm Saudi embassy in Tehran, set it ablaze
Demonstrations in Bahrain
TRANSLATION: "Bahrain Ma'ameer / off angry hearts of the faithful in a mass rally after hearing the implementation of the death sentence against Tiger"
RT,
2
January, 2015
Iranian
protesters broke into the Saudi embassy in Tehran after launching
several Molotov cocktails into the building. The rally in front of
the embassy was triggered by Riyadh’s execution of a prominent
Shiite cleric.
Footage
uploaded on Twitter showed angry Iranian protesters pillaging the
ground floor of the Saudi embassy, tearing apart furniture, flags,
and documents. It was then engulfed in one big blaze, seemingly after
the angry mob, outraged over the Saudi execution of prominent Shiite
cleric Sheikh al-Nimr, threw Molotov cocktails at the building.
Protesters break into Saudi embassy building in Tehran
One
of the protesters was also pictured holding a torn Saudi flag, which
was reportedly brought down at the compound, outside the embassy.
معترضان در سفارت عربستان در تهران را شکستند و وارد سفارت خانه شدند
Police
eventually resorted to tear gas to scatter the protesters and managed
to force the crowd out of the building and cordon it off again.
Thick dark smoke coming out of windows of Saudi embassy building in Tehran
There
were no immediate reports of casualties or injuries due to the
violence. Photos from inside the ravaged ground floor appear to show
it is now empty.
Earlier,
images of fire breaking out at the embassy building were shared on
Twitter. A Mehr editor has reported a gas explosion, while photos
from the scene show the building engulfed in flames.
Iran’s
security forces had cordoned off the area around the embassy. Photos
from the scene showed a heavy police presence.
Gas suspiciously explodes in #Saudi embassy protests in #Tehran. Parking & 1st floor burnt completely. #SheikhNimr
Protesters
gathered in several cities across Iran on Saturday angered by the
Gulf kingdom’s execution of al-Nimr, who was put to death along
with 46 other prisoners.
Nimr
had been the most vocal critic of Saudi Arabia’s ruling family
prior to mass protests that erupted in 2011. He called for regular
demonstrations against the ruling elite. Shiites have long complained
that they are victims of discrimination in the Sunni powerhouse. Nimr
had often called for better protection for the country’s Shiite
minority.
Protesters
in the city of Mashhad in northwestern Iran gathered on Saturday near
the Saudi consulate, throwing Molotov cocktails at the building.
Photos showed several protesters trying to climb the fence around the
building. There were reportedly some clashes with police.
The
predominately Shiite Iran has bashed Riyadh, accusing the Kingdom of
supporting terrorism and executing its opponents. Iran said it has
summoned the Saudi charge d’affaires in Tehran.
PHOTOS: Saudi consulate in Mashhad protected w/ fence, angry protesters at consulate over al-Nimr execution
“The
Saudi government supports terrorists and takfiri [heretic]
extremists, while executing and suppressing critics inside the
country,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Hossein Jaber Ansari said, as
cited by state news agency IRNA.
In
the wake of the execution, Iranian lawmakers asked the Foreign
Ministry to downgrade diplomatic ties with the Saudi government, FARS
news agency reported. They proposed reducing the number of Saudi
diplomats and consulates in Iran.
In
turn, Saudi Arabia summoned the Iranian ambassador in Riyadh over
Iran’s “hostile” remarks on executions, according to the state
news agency SPA.
The
ministry expressed “astonishment and its utter rejection of these
hostile statements, which it deemed a blatant intervention in the
kingdom’s affairs.”
Saudi Arabia executes 47 people, incl prominent Shiite cleric, on terror charges
Demonstrations in Bahrain
TRANSLATION: "Bahrain Ma'ameer / off angry hearts of the faithful in a mass rally after hearing the implementation of the death sentence against Tiger"
Excellent coverage from Zero Hedge
Protesters Storm, Set Fire To Saudi Embassy In Iran
43
al-Qaeda conspirators were killed along with 4 Shiites accused of
shooting policemen in the anti-government protests which broke out
during the Arab Spring. Among
the Shiites killed: prominent cleric Nimr al-Nimr.
21st Century ??????? Scotty please beam me up!
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