![Image of Bahrain police and protesters [Friends of Bahrain/Flickr]](https://i0.wp.com/www.middleeastmonitor.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/2012_1_27-Bahrain-police-clash-with-protesters-1.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1)
Bahraini security forces clashed with supporters of the country’s Shia Muslim spiritual leader near his home this morning, activists said.
Videos posted by activists and media organisations appeared to show around a dozen police vehicles and armoured cars in Diraz village where Ayatollah Isa Qassim lives surrounded by youths maintaining a round-the-clock vigil to prevent his arrest.
The videos and still images showed the police cars firing tear gas at stone-throwing protesters.
#البحرين_اليوم| المواطنون في بلدة #بني_جمرة يتصدون للقوات الخليفية التي تحصار بلدة #الدراز لقمع الأهالي والمعتصمين أمام منزل #الشيخ_قاسم pic.twitter.com/eeQXEnP6Iv
— البحرين اليوم (@BahrainAlyoum) December 21, 2016
There are no reason for the excessive use of force today in Duraz Village against the peaceful people. #Bahrain pic.twitter.com/KyUnMi4gVn
— Fatima (@FatiimaHalwachi) December 21, 2016
Qassim is a well-respected cleric among Shias in Bahrain and his treatment by Bahraini authorities has repeatedly drawn rebukes of the kingdom’s Sunni-led government.
The Bahraini interior ministry appeared to refer to the incident in a statement on its official Twitter account.
مدير عام شرطة الشمالية: في إطار جهود حفظ الأمن وإنفاذ القانون تم صباح اليوم تنفيذ أوامر قضائية بالقبض على مطلوبين ببعض القرى وتفتيش مساكنهم
— Ministry of Interior (@moi_bahrain) December 21, 2016
“As part of efforts to preserve security and enforce the law, court orders to arrest wanted people in certain villages and to search their homes were implemented this morning.”
Qassim went on trial for money laundering in June and faces expulsion from the country after authorities revoked his citizenship in May for fomenting violence and alleged ties to foreign powers – an apparent reference to Iran.