SAUDI POLICE BREAK UP PRO-GAZA PROTEST

C O N F I D E N T I A L RIYADH 000001 SIPDIS DEPARTMENT PLEASE PASS TO NEA/ARP JHARRIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/31/2018 TAGS: PGOV KPAL SA ASEC IS SUBJECT: SAUDI POLICE BREAK UP PRO-GAZA PROTEST REF: RIYADH 01868 Classified By: Political Counselor Lisa Carle for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (U) According to international media and local internet reports, Saudi police intervened to end a pro-Gaza demonstration in the Eastern Province city of Qatif on December 29. Some 200-300 protesters shouted anti-Israeli and anti-U.S. slogans, threw shoes and rocks, and carried signs with pictures of wounded Palestinians and Hizballah leader Hassan Nasrallah. The security forces reportedly disbursed the demonstrators using rubber bullets and hot water, apparently injuring 8 people. ¶2. (U) A Saudi Ministry of Interior (MOI) spokesman denied both the police action and the demonstration, stating "protests in the kingdom are banned." ¶3. (C) Initial reports from Embassy and Dhahran consulate contacts indicate that notwithstanding the MOI denial, the press reports are largely accurate. We are following up with contacts in Qatif and will report details as we receive them. (Comment: as noted in reftel, we expect that more such demonstrations will take place in the heavily-Shi'a Eastern Province, particularly given that this year Ashura --the day when Shi'a Muslims commemorate the martyrdom of Husayn bin Ali-- falls on January 7. End comment.) RUNDELL