According to witnesses, they used tear gas and sound bombs to disperse the protesters who took to the streets on Friday in response to calls issued on social networks.

The demonstration came after Bahrain’s main opposition party, Al-Wefaq, warned of fresh protests across the country unless a national dialogue with the regime leads to true reforms.

Anti-regime protesters have also headed to Manama to protest against Bahrain’s hosting of the Formula One Grand Prix auto race scheduled to be held on April.

The demonstrators are calling for the cancellation of the controversial auto race as activists argue it comes at a time when Manama regime forces continue the violent suppression of peaceful protests.

The Persian Gulf kingdom was rocked by a popular uprising in mid-February 2011, when the people — inspired by the popular revolutions that toppled the dictators of Tunisia and Egypt — have embarked on massive street protests on an almost daily basis.

The Bahraini government promptly launched a brutal crackdown on the peaceful demonstrations and called in troops from Saudi Arabia and other neighboring Arab states to help Manama quash the popular movement.

Scores of people have been killed in the crackdown, while the security forces have arrested hundreds, among them doctors and nurses accused of treating injured revolutionaries.

A report published by the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry in November 2011 found that the Al Khalifa regime had used excessive force in the crackdown and accused Manama of torturing political activists, politicians, and protesters.

MR/AS