Would You Like Some Pepper Spray with That?

Well today is not just Valentine's Day here in Bahrain.  It's also marks the one year anniversary of the protesting that has rattled this country for the past year...protests that eventually demolished the Pearl Roundabout after an overkill move by government, where a popular monument and symbol of Bahrain once stood.  Don't get me wrong - the pearl is still a symbol in Bahrain, but the area where the monument once stood now symbolizes protestors rather than the historic pearl industry of Bahrain, which was its original intent.  Everyone in this country has been on high alert and hoping for the best but expecting the worst as this anniversary day approached.

The Pearl Roundabout/Monument Last Year

The Protestors were planning and hoping to secure large numbers of people to try and "reclaim" the Pearl Roundabout, or at least the land where it once stood in all its glory.  The police have been ready for this for months and have done a great job keeping protestors at bay now that the day has arrived.  Unfortunately, the side effect is that tear gas is literally all over this country right now.  We had to deal with it at the park today and I still feel like I have the taste of it in my mouth a few hours later.  I won't complain, though.  I was hoping against the worst case scenario that the protests would keep us from leaving this weekend.  It looks like that won't happen since the police are much more organized this time around and are dispersing the crowds with quicker and greater success.  For this I am thankful.  If I have to put up with a peppery taste in my mouth if it means I'll be on a plane this weekend out of here, then I'll deal with it.

Tear Gas During the One Year Anniversary Protests