Thousands of protesters stormed the Iraqi parliament building in Baghdad on Saturday morning, international press agencies reported. About 70 people were injured. Security forces tried in vain to keep the demonstrators away from the so-called green zone of the city with tear gas. That is the heavily secured part of the center where the other government institutions and embassies are also located. On Wednesday, the demonstrators also managed to storm the parliament building.
Despite resistance from authorities, the protesters reached the green zone on Saturday afternoon after breaking down concrete barriers. According to Reuters news agency, one of the protesters said: “We are calling for a government that is free from corruption…and those are the demands of the people.” The demonstrators clashed with the police, including throwing stones. The officers deployed stun grenades and tear gas.
Most of the protesters are supporters of the influential Shia leader Muqtada al-Sadr. His political movement won last year’s election, but he failed to form a government. That is why al-Sadr withdrew all members of his party from parliament last month. The protesters are protesting against Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, a Shia rival of Al-Sadr, who was put forward as prime minister earlier this week.