Originally posted by the Voice of America.
Voice of America content is produced by the Voice of America,
a United States federal government-sponsored entity, and is in
the public domain.


Protesters Block Roads to Iraqi Port, Demand End to Foreign Meddling

Reuters

   BAGHDAD - Security forces killed aprotester and wounded 91 others in
   Baghdad on Saturday, securityand medical sources said, as tens of
   thousands of Iraqisgathered in anti-government protests in the capital
   andblocked roads leading to a major port.

   Protesters have been congregating in the capital's Tahrir Square for
   weeks, demanding the fall of the politicalelite in the biggest wave of
   mass demonstrations since the toppling of dictator Saddam Hussein.

   Protests have accelerated dramatically in recent days,drawing huge
   crowds from across sectarian and ethnic divides.

   They have been comparatively peaceful by day, becoming moreviolent
   after dark as policeusetear gas and rubber bullets to
   battle self-proclaimed "revolutionary" youths. More than 250people were
   killed in October.

   Clashes have focused on the ramparts to the Republic Bridgeleading
   across the Tigris to the heavily fortified Green Zone ofgovernment
   buildings, where the protesters say out-of-touchleaders are holed up in
   their walled-off bastion of privilege.

.