BAGHDAD (Dispatches) — Thousands of followers of firebrand cleric Muqtada al-Sadr breached Iraq’s parliament on Saturday, for the second time this week, to protest government formation efforts.
Iraqi security forces initially used tear gas and sound bombs to try to repel the unruly demonstrators. Once inside, the protesters declared an open-ended sit-in and claimed they would not disperse until their demands are answered.
As the numbers inside the parliament swelled, the police backed off. An expected parliament session did not take place Saturday and there were no lawmakers in the hall.
By late afternoon, the Ministry of Health said that about 125 people had been injured in the violence — 100 civilians and 25 members of the security forces.
Earlier in the day and heeding Sadr’s calls, the demonstrators used ropes to pull down cement barricades leading to the gate of Iraq’s Green Zone, which houses government buildings and embassies.
Al-Sadr resorted to using his followers as a pressure tactic against the government after his party was not able to form a government despite having won the largest number of seats in the federal elections held last October.
With al-Sadr intent on derailing the government formation efforts lead, Iraq’s limbo and political paralysis has ushered in a new era of instability in the beleaguered country.
Al-Sadr has ordered his followers to occupy parliament on previous occasions. In 2016 his followers did the same under the administration of Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi.
Now, with Iraq in the tenth month since elections, the political vacuum is the longest since the U.S.-led 2003 invasion reset the political order.
Later Saturday, the Coordination Framework called on its supporters to conduct “peaceful” counter-protests to defend the state, according to a statement from the group.
“Civil peace is a red line and all Iraqis must be prepared to defend it in all possible, peaceful, means,” the statement said.
The United Nations expressed its concern of further instability and called on Iraqi leaders to de-escalate. “The ongoing escalation is deeply concerning. Voices of reason and wisdom are critical to prevent further violence. All actors are encouraged to de-escalate in the interest of all Iraqis,” the UN statement said.
Meanwhile, al-Sadr supporters — many had come not just from Baghdad but other provinces as well in order to stage the sit-in
— continued to throng the parliament building, occupying the parliament floor and raising the portraits of al-Sadr.
It was the second time in the span of three days that the cleric has ordered his followers to stage a sit-in inside the Green Zone.
On Wednesday, protesters stormed the parliament building in a similar fashion but left shortly after, at al-Sadr’s command. They had come to warn Iraqi parties against proceeding with government formation efforts, after the alliance named Muhammad al-Sudani as the consensus nominee for the premiership.
Iraq’s caretaker Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi directed security forces to protect demonstrators and asked them to keep their protest peaceful, according to a statement. Inside the parliament building, the defenses of the security forces grew less intense and many were seen sitting and conversing with demonstrators.
Some protesters began moving from the parliament toward the Judicial Council building.
Al-Sadr’s party exited government formation talks in June, giving his rivals in the Coordination Framework alliance the majority they needed to move forward with the process.
Analysts say through protests, Sadr wants to demonstrate he’s still politically relevant. The strategy, however, is a very dangerous game which can plunge the country into civil strife, they have warned.