Posted on 01/28/2011 8:35:34 PM PST by americanophile
Saudi authorities detained hundreds of demonstrators on Friday in Jeddah who gathered to protest against poor infrastructure after deadly floods swept through Saudi Arabia's second biggest city, police and witnesses said.
Some Jeddah streets remained submerged on Friday, and electricity was still out in low-lying parts of the city two days after torrential rains caused flooding that killed at least four people and swept away cars.
The protest came after mass messages sent over BlackBerry smart phones called for popular action in response to the flood, an unusual move in the Arab state at a time of spreading anti-government unrest across the Arab world.
Protesters gathered for about 15 minutes after Friday prayers on a main Jeddah shopping street and shouted 'God is Greatest' before authorities broke up the protest and detained participants, a witness who works in a nearby shop told Reuters.
One police officer said around 30 protesters were detained and police were pursuing others who fled to a nearby building. Another officer put the number held at around 50.
About 12 police cars surrounded the building where protesters were hiding, and 30 more blocked off the street near where the protest happened.
A mass message sent via BlackBerry Messenger on Thursday urged Jeddah residents to join a demonstration on Saturday over the floods, while another urged all government and private sector employees to hold a general strike next week. But Friday's protest had been unexpected.
The call for action in the top oil exporter, where public protest is not tolerated, comes as open defiance of authoritarian rulers spreads, with protests in Egypt and Yemen inspired by unrest which toppled Tunisia's president this month.
(Excerpt) Read more at tehrantimes.com ...
Protests in a totalitarian state like Saudi Arabia are new. The Arab rulers are frightened. They don’t know which of them will be the next target of popular protest.
Osamma’s newest plan to take over the middle east and turn it into an izzie empire run by him.
Possibly they’re getting that zero can’t stand with the muslims if things get ugly if he’s not in office?
They’re having to move up their timing.
I didn't realize that area was subject to floods, except for one particularly big flood some time ago.
Celente’s predictions are coming true.
Carp! My husband is in Jeddah. And of course he didn’t tell me about the flooding, only that it rained and he couldn’t play tennis and the internet news sites were blocked...before he completely lost the internet. I only hear about the bad stuff years after the fact, like the Indonesian military repelling from helicopters outside his hotel window. I don’t worry. I just keep well stocked with wine.
I think a good deal of western Euro can be put in red also. The UK and France are ball-less when it comes to keeping them out. They let them in by the millions. WE are filling Michigan up with them, so might as well put it on there in red also.
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What did he say? Did he say it was due to food inflation thanks to The Ben Bernank/Obama’s dollar printing presses causing global inflation?
Also Hussein is a Muslim Brother dupe and their are MB moles throughout the US govt, intel and military. Keep watching Obama TV serfs - he appreciates your viewership and brainwashing in HD.
Great graphic.
Calls to mind the comment about “Islam’s bloody borders”....
Sad part is that though we import more than 1/2 our oil, only half that comes from the Middle East. If we could supply even 15% of our own oil we’d cut their cash flow by half or more.
You and me both! I’m reading this article and the only thing I’m hitting on is, “what flood?” In Saudi Arabia?
I read someone else was saying these riots in Tunisia and Egypt started because of the high price of food and high unemployment. I was referring to Celente saying there will be food riots in 2011. The guy is usualy spot on.
This is an opportunity for our government to open discussion on grain and food stuff sales for our farmers.
Instead? They increase food stifling regulations.
America is doomed.
Celente has been predicting these kind of issues.
I just keep telling myself “It’s Biblical” so I just want to make sure I’m on the winning side.”
This is long....but it supports your statement that “America is doomed”.
http://www.stansberryresearch.com/pro/1011PSIENDVD/OPSIM104/PR
I have listened to him, he has some thought provoking points.
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