Honoring and commemorating Bahraini police

On Monday, Bahrain commemorated the members of its police force who were either injured or killed in the line of duty at an event hosted by H.E. Shaikh Rashid bin Abdullah Al Khalifa, Bahrain ’s Minister of Interior. The stories of these brave officers are often ignored in international media reports from Bahrain and I would like to join H.E. the Minister in honoring and commending all Bahraini police officers for their service to the safety of our country.
 
Bahraini police officers face constant threats of violence on a daily basis. Armed only with non-lethal forms of crowd control, police officers often confront highly coordinated attacks from crowds wielding projectile weapons and petrol bombs. Since February 2011, four officers have been killed and over 1,400 have been seriously wounded. Fifty-two of these officers were wounded so severely that their injuries are considered life-changing.
 
Incitement to violence against police officers is a serious impediment to reconciliation in Bahrain . Peaceful dissent is the right of all citizens in Bahrain , but it is incumbent upon all leaders in society to condemn violence explicitly. Doing so will help advance a meaningful, inclusive dialogue without preconditions to the benefit of all Bahrainis.