OAN Newsroom
UPDATED 12:30 PM PT — Sunday, January 19, 2020
Violence erupted in Iraq as citizens voiced their outrage over what
they claimed is a slow pace for reforms. Sunday reports said protesters
blocked roads in Baghdad and the city of Najaf.Demonstrations occupied three key bridges of entry in the capital, where a dozen people were reportedly wounded in a standoff with security forces.
Protesters used burning tires to block the roads in Baghdad and threatened further escalation if their demands are not met.
“The burning tires is an expression
of our protest and anger. We have endured the cold and hunger, we left
our work and families. The government does not care, does not consider
that the people are protesting and that they are demanding their rights.
Our demands are legitimate and they must give them to us.” – Unnamed protester
Protests have now spread from the capital to the city of Najaf, where
demonstrators have been repeatedly torching the Iranian consulate.