13 Nov 2019; MEMO: Iraqi security personnel yesterday joined anti-establishment protests in the southern city of Karbala to express solidarity with the “legitimate demands” of the demonstrators.
A lieutenant in Karbala police, Dirgham Al-Thiyab, told the Anadolu Agency that he was among dozens of security service agents who joined the protesters in Karbala to express solidarity with their legitimate demands and “to convey a message to the protesters that we do not stand against them or their demands”.
“Those who are demonstrating are people like the security personnel, so we are in one ship, and we wish everyone to maintain peaceful protests to achieve their objectives,” he said.
"Violence, whether by security personnel or demonstrators, serves no one, so we are here today among the demonstrators to urge them to also keep the protests peaceful, so that the security forces can fully protect them until their demands are met" he added.
This comes a day after the country’s top Shia cleric Ali Al-Sistani said the protesters will not return to their homes until their demands have been met.
Since the October, Iraq has been witnessing anti-establishment protests that have left more than 300 protesters dead and thousands wounded.
