Weasel Zippers:

Bahrain: Security Forces Raid Sleeping Protest Camp – 3 Dead

This after Obama asked Bahrain to respect the protester’s rights.

(Monsters and Critics) — Three demonstrators were killed early Thursday during police attacks on protesters who continued pushing the government of Bahrain for reform.

The dead included an elderly man aged 60-70 and a young man, whose bodies were at the Salamynia Medial Hospital. Their bodies bore what appeared to be gunshot wounds, witnesses said. The body of the third victim was still at the location of the protests, where medical staff who rushed to the scene and witnesses confirmed the death to the German Press Agency dpa.

The deaths bring to five the number of protesters killed this week during demonstrations in Bahrain triggered by the ouster of former president Hosny Mubarak from Egypt late last week after 18 days of protests. At least 45 people were being treated at the Manama hospital for injuries caused by teargas and shotgun fire, medical sources said.

Police surrounded the square and opened fire without warning about 3 am (0000 GMT), witnesses told dpa.

The crowd of thousands – estimates range from 5,000 to 20,000 – included many women and children who joined the demonstrations which had run peacefully through the day following the funeral on Wednesday for an earlier victim.

Parents carried children on their shoulders and smiled and waved well into the early hours of Thursday amidst the throngs of protesters, according to televised images shown by Al Jazeera.

One witness told the broadcaster that many in the crowd had settled down to sleep and occupy the square for the duration of the night when they were roused by the police attack.

In the ensuing hours, everyone fled the scene and police took control of the square.

Angry crowds in the meantime had showed up at the hospital, adding to a chaotic scene of shouting and screaming by hundreds of panicked people either seeking medical aid or searching for loved ones.