(Ahlul Bayt News Agency) - Security forces fired tear gas and stun grenades at protesters who gathered ahead of the first anniversary of the start of pro-democracy demonstrations in the Gulf kingdom on Tuesday.
Thousands are expected to march on Pearl Roundabout - the focal point of protests last year - which opposition leaders have vowed to retake.
At least 68 people have been martyred since the uprising began last February.
Riot police and other security forces have been deployed across Bahrain.
A resident of the village of Sitra, on the outskirt of Manama, told the BBC that security forces had fired tear gas and stun grenades throughout the night.
On Monday evening, demonstrators advanced about 2km (1.5 miles) towards Pearl Roundabout before they were pushed back by riot police, the Reuters news agency reports.
"We will not back down,'" Nader Abdul Imam, who sought shelter in a house with other protesters to get away from the tear gas, told the Associated Press.
"This has gone on for one year and it will go for another year or more.''
Most of the demonstrators are from the country's Shia Muslim majority, which has long complained of discrimination at the hands of the royal family, the Al Khalifa.
Khalil al-Marzuq, a politician from al-Wefaq, the largest opposition party in the kingdom, urged protesters to be peaceful.
He said: "This is a non-violent movement and should continue to be [a] non-violent movement."
"Because your cause is justice and you will get at the end what you want."
The government subsequently demolished the large Pearl Monument that had towered over the roundabout. It remains sealed off.
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Thousands are expected to march on Pearl Roundabout - the focal point of protests last year - which opposition leaders have vowed to retake.
At least 68 people have been martyred since the uprising began last February.
Riot police and other security forces have been deployed across Bahrain.
A resident of the village of Sitra, on the outskirt of Manama, told the BBC that security forces had fired tear gas and stun grenades throughout the night.
On Monday evening, demonstrators advanced about 2km (1.5 miles) towards Pearl Roundabout before they were pushed back by riot police, the Reuters news agency reports.
"We will not back down,'" Nader Abdul Imam, who sought shelter in a house with other protesters to get away from the tear gas, told the Associated Press.
"This has gone on for one year and it will go for another year or more.''
Most of the demonstrators are from the country's Shia Muslim majority, which has long complained of discrimination at the hands of the royal family, the Al Khalifa.
Khalil al-Marzuq, a politician from al-Wefaq, the largest opposition party in the kingdom, urged protesters to be peaceful.
He said: "This is a non-violent movement and should continue to be [a] non-violent movement."
"Because your cause is justice and you will get at the end what you want."
The government subsequently demolished the large Pearl Monument that had towered over the roundabout. It remains sealed off.
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