Antigovernment protesters (with their backs to the camera) face off against government backers during clashes in Sana'a, Yemen, on Feb. 17, 2011
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The most violent day of unrest in the capital was Thursday, when crowds toppled the iron fences separating the two camps and fought under a constant hail of stones. Members of both sides, carrying sticks, batons and chains, led charges back and forth amid sounds of sporadic gunfire. Dozens with head injuries fled the scene for treatment at a nearby hospital.
A small number of uniformed police officers stood beside official motorcycles parked by the scene. Uniformed security forces were not noticeable within the crowds, but antigovernment protesters accused undercover police of joining in the escalating violence. "Police are here," said 32-year-old opposition activist Bakil Mohammed al-Raman. "They're armed and dressed as civilians."
"Security is making a play," said Ibrahim al-Howry, 35, a student at Sana'a University. "They're following the same scenario that happened in Egypt, where they used gangs to fight protesters." Yemen's official state news agency, Saba, cited an official source at the Interior Ministry as saying that "security services tried to disengage the scuffle, but they could not."
As smoke billowed from tires and trash cans that had been set ablaze, pro-Saleh demonstrators chanted, "With our soul and our blood, we will sacrifice for Ali," while the opposition responded, "After Mubarak, then Ali." A shopkeeper, opening his metal door to survey the scene during a brief lull, mocked the popular antigovernment slogan, "The people want the regime to fall," that has been heard in Egypt, Tunisia and now Yemen. "The people want the blood to fall," he shouted before retreating as a volley of stones landed around him.
The melee began to dissipate in the afternoon, when opposition demonstrators led a march to Sana'a University, where protests have been taking place on a daily basis. Approximately 200 antiregime demonstrators were gathered in front of the campus when a slightly larger group of Saleh supporters appeared, holding clubs and sticks. Many of the opposition protesters had discarded their weapons during the march.
A single gunshot rang out as proregime demonstrators attacked the opposition, who fled toward the main gate of the university, where they were beaten while attempting to squeeze through a small entrance. One antiregime protester screamed, "We're peaceful!" as others scattered throughout the surrounding streets.
Previous demonstrations in Sana'a had drawn larger crowds and had been organized peacefully by the official opposition Joint Meeting Parties. But since the resignation of Egypt's former President, Hosni Mubarak, on Feb. 11, protests have erupted spontaneously, becoming increasingly violent and unpredictable.