Protesters in southern Iraq dispersed by baton-wielding riot police

Activists publish footage of skirmishes between protesters and security forces in Basra

Riot police used batons to disperse a crowd of protesters in Iraq’s southern city of Basra, according to a video shared by activists on social media on Wednesday.

The video, published on X, showed black-clad officers hitting their shields in an apparent attempt to intimidate the protesters and yelling at them to retreat.

Skirmishes broke out between the police and the demonstrators, with some officers seen rushing and hitting them with batons.

The protesters are temporary employees gathered outside the Education Department, demanding work on a permanent basis. In Iraq, temporary employees have limited rights compared to those on permanent contracts.

“Every year, they promise to grant us permanent jobs and allocated the needed funds in the budget,” temporary worker Mohammed Hassan, 32, said. “They approved the [2024] budget few weeks ago and it has nothing in there about us.”

The protests started peacefully outside the Education Department building, until riot police arrived.

“Everything was quiet until they came and circled us,” Mr Hassan said. “They started to push us outside the area first and when we refused, friction erupted.

“They used electric stun batons in a bid to disperse us and chased some of us into the alleys.”

The Interior Ministry did not respond to requests for comment.

In nearby Nasiriyah, a city about a two-hour drive north of Basra, protesters also took to the streets, condemning the lack of public services, mainly electricity. On Wednesday, they gathered outside the provincial council building, forcing it to shut down, according to activists.

Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al Sudani ordered a senior “technical delegation” be sent to Nasiriyah to improve the electricity supply.

“We will not leave,” an activist told media, asking for anonymity for security reasons. “We are fed up with the government promises in well-written statements, we need deeds not words.”

Basra and Nasiriyah were among the centres of pro-reform protests that erupted in Iraq in October 2019 and spread to Baghdad and across southern Iraq.

Even before then, Basra and Nasiriyah residents had protested to demand jobs, better public services and an end to corruption.

Protests have also regularly taken place during summer months when temperatures have exceeded 50°C, with Iraqis demanding improved power supply and clean water services.

Among other demands, protesters have called for an overhaul to the political system in place since the 2003 US-led invasion, and early elections based on a new voting law that gives the chance for independent candidates to reach parliament.

More than 550 activists and protesters have been killed during confrontations with security forces or killed by unidentified gunmen since October 2019. Dozens of others have fled Iraq. Tens of thousands have been wounded, with many suffering life-changing injuries.

Security forces have previously used bulldozers to remove tents and fired tear gas at stone-throwing demonstrators.