Pearl Place

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The Pearl Square ( Arabic دوار اللؤلؤة, DMG dawwār al-luʾluʾa ) is a former roundabout in the financial district of Manama , the capital of Bahrain .

Pearl monument

The Perlenplatz after the removal of the monument and demolition to a roundabout-free intersection

Until March 18, 2011, there was a large monument in the middle of the roundabout. This consisted of six pillars that rose up into the sky and held a pearl in the middle.

The pearl monument was 90 meters high and was erected in 1982. It consisted of six dhow struts, modeled on "sails", which towered into the sky and together held a pearl on top. The six sails symbolized the six Arab countries on the Arabian Gulf ( Gulf Cooperation Council ) and the pearl symbolized the common heritage. At the base of the monument was a pool with fountain jets.

The structure was removed on March 18, 2011.

Protests

Tents of the demonstrators before the eviction (March 4, 2011)

The roundabout was occupied by protesters in the wake of the protests in Bahrain in February 2011. The security forces used firearms and tear gas against the demonstrators several times. Early in the morning of March 16, security forces evacuated the site with the help of tanks and helicopters. Tear gas and rubber bullets were used. According to the demonstrators, five people were killed and more than 200 injured. According to government sources, two police officers died.

On March 18, 2011, the monument in the center of Pearl Square was destroyed by the Bahraini armed forces because the symbol of the unity of the GCC states was used for the protests. One of the excavator drivers was killed by the collapsing monument.

On February 13, 2012, about a year after the first occupations, several thousand demonstrators tried to occupy Perlenplatz again. The police prevented this and used tear gas. The day after, smaller groups tried to enter the square. They shouted slogans against King Hamad ibn Isa Al Khalifa .

Web links

Commons : Perlenplatz  - Album with pictures, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Gulf Daily News March 19, 2011 Full background report
  2. ↑ Martin Gehlen: Insurgents call for help. In: Frankfurter Rundschau . March 16, 2011, accessed March 18, 2011 .
  3. ↑ Six dead when the Pearl Square was cleared. In: Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung . March 17, 2011, accessed March 18, 2011 .
  4. ↑ Gulf Daily News March 19, 2011 Full background report
  5. ↑ World: Bahrain's forces destroy monument in Manama
  6. ^ Asia Times Online
  7. ^ Inga Rogg: The return to Perlenplatz. In: the daily newspaper . February 15, 2012, accessed February 15, 2012 .

Coordinates: 26 ° 13 ′ 49.1 ″  N , 50 ° 33 ′ 40.7 ″  E