Iraqi Protests Turn Violent With Government Buildings Stormed
Social Media Disrupted in Iraq as Protests Turn Violent
(Bloomberg) -- Iraqi forces clashed with protesters on Wednesday and many locals reported having trouble accessing social media as anti-government demonstrations flared for a second day.
Security forces blocked all roads leading to Baghdad’s central Tahrir Square. Fadhel Al-Gharrawi, a member of a human rights commission that reports to parliament, said four protesters had been killed.
State-run Iraqiya TV later said protesters had set fire to the government building of Najaf province in southwestern Iraq, and stormed official buildings elsewhere in the country as well as some belonging to political parties. A curfew was announced for 8 p.m. local time in Thiqar governorate south of Baghdad.
Iraqis took to the streets Tuesday to protest against unemployment, government corruption and a lack of basic services -- grievances that have led to repeated bouts of unrest in OPEC’s second-largest oil producer.
Several Iraqis interviewed by Bloomberg on Wednesday said they were unable to access Facebook and Twitter without using workarounds such as VPN.
To contact the reporter on this story: Khalid Al-Ansary in Baghdad at kalansary@bloomberg.net
To contact the editors responsible for this story: Alaa Shahine at asalha@bloomberg.net, Lin Noueihed
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