Violence in Bahrain claims first victim on eve of F1 Grand Prix race

Salah Habib Abbas, 37, is believed to have been killed by shotgun pellets fired by police as more rioting erupted on the eve of the Formula One race.

Crowds of masked protesters hurled petrol bombs at police, who fired tear gas back in the capital, Manama, yesterday, turning the streets into a battle zone just 24 hours before an event that demonstrators say glorifies repressive government.

The protesters were outraged by Abbas’s death, with around 7,000 marchers holding banners calling for democratic reforms. Some banners depicted Formula One race car drivers as riot police beating up protesters.

The violence broke out despite the security forces deploying armoured vehicles in Manama and on the main road leading to the racetrack.

The opposition party Wefaq published a photograph of Abbas’s body laid on a corrugated iron rooftop. Wefaq said he was among a group of protesters who had been beaten by police after fierce clashes on Friday night.

Bahrain’s chief of public security, Major-General Tariq Al Hasan, has launched an investigation into Abbas’s death.

The Ministry of Interior said officials wanted to wait for the facts to be established and urged everyone not to believe unconfirmed reports on social media channels.

Anti-government activists vowed to mark the racing event with a third day of “rage” in protest at the Bahrain government. It has spent £25 million to host the global sporting event, hoping to demonstrate that normal life has returned to the Gulf island kingdom after it cracked down harshly on Arab Spring demonstrations last year. But the televised images of streets ablaze – as masked youths hurled petrol bombs and police responded with tear gas – threaten to embarrass Formula One and the global brands that sponsor it.

Eyewitnesses described police trying to move protesters off a roundabout by firing tear gas. Demonstrators hurled petrol bombs back.

Mohammed al-Maskati, of the Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights, said police used tear gas and rubber bullets on a crowd of several hundred protesters trying to reach a main road in al-Bilad al-Qadeem, a Shiite neighbourhood of Manama where Abbas lived.

Despite the violent scenes, the FIA president Jean Todt said he was adamant that his conscience was clear and the reputation of Formula One remained intact despite all the damaging headlines.

Todt’s decision to press ahead with the Grand Prix has drawn stinging criticism that has increased in intensity as the anti-government and anti-F1 protests have been ramped up. Speaking publicly on the riots for the first time, Todt dismissed concerns.

“I am sorry about what has been reported. I am not sure all that has been reported corresponds to the reality of what is happening in this country,” said Todt. “But I feel F1 is very strong. It is a very strong brand, and all the people among the teams to whom I have been speaking are very happy. I was even told it would have been a mistake not to come. Again, you speak to those people. That is what I have been told by most of the team principals here.”

Todt’s position has been undermined by the fact that Force India and Sauber personnel have both been caught up in incidents last week.

Force India even decided yesterday not to run in the second practice session due to safety concerns after four members of their team were caught up in clashes between police and protesters.

Todt, however, insisted he was comfortable with the decision to be in Bahrain, asserting that all possible pre-race investigations into safety and security were conducted beforehand.

“To say there has not been some controversy around what has happened in Bahrain would be wrong from my side,” added the Frenchman. “Yes, there are certain problems. Yes, there are some protests – because it is a democratic country and protests are allowed.

“If there is a protest, can there be some consequences? We know, if you go to any soccer game anywhere in the world, including Europe, there are some consequences when there is a protest.”

On the racetrack, German Sebastian Vettel secured pole position for today’s race after grabbing top spot in qualifying. Briton Lewis Hamilton was forced to settle for second place, while Mark Webber and Jenson Button were on the second row in third and fourth respectively.

In the UK, Prime Minister David Cameron resisted pressure to call for the cancellation of the event, insisting it was up to the F1 authorities whether the race should go ahead.