Last Updated on August 29, 2022
Protestors successfully broke into and rallied in the Presidential Palace in Baghdad, Iraq on Monday.
The riots come after one of the Iraqi Shiite’s most prominent political leaders, Muqtada al Sadr, announced he will be leaving politics on Monday.
Al Sadr’s retirement from politics spurred the Shiites to breach the presidential palace, completely abandoning calls for law and order by law enforcement officials.
Video footage posted on Twitter shows just how helpless law enforcement was while the riots began to rally inside the Iraqi presidential palace.
WATCH:
Riots inside the Presidential Palace. #Iraq #Baghdad pic.twitter.com/RxAfPffOKm
— Tammuz Intel (@Tammuz_Intel) August 29, 2022
Presidential palace. #Iraq #Baghdad pic.twitter.com/wQ9BAt2sl9
— Tammuz Intel (@Tammuz_Intel) August 29, 2022
Sadr’s led an unsuccessful movement to form and lead a government for years. In 2013 and 2014, the Iraqi made similar announcements where he claimed to be leaving politics.
Video shows protestors celebrating the palace siege by swimming in a pool.
مثلما حصل في سريلانكا
انصار التيار الصدري يسبحون في مسبح القصر الجمهوري pic.twitter.com/5zHPq636nF
— شاهو القرةداغي (@shahokurdy) August 29, 2022
The Iraqi Joint Operations Command urged protestors to leave the property or else violence might occur. The Iraqi Joint Operations Command claimed they have “adhered to the highest levels of self-restraint and brotherly behavior to prevent clashes or the spilling of Iraqi blood.”
“The security forces affirm their responsibility to protect government institutions, international missions, and public and private properties. Dealing with peaceful demonstrations is done through the constitution and laws, and the security forces will do their duty to protect security and stability,” they added.
The prime minister of Iraq, Mustafa Al-Kadhimi called on Sadr to call on his supporters to end their illegal activity.
U.S. embassy officials located in Baghdad labeled the demonstrations “disturbing,” and urged every party involved “to remain peaceful.”
“The United States is concerned about escalating tensions and urges all parties to remain peaceful and refrain from acts that could lead to a cycle of violence. Iraq’s security, stability, and sovereignty should not be put at risk. Now is the time for dialogue to resolve differences, not through confrontation. The right to peaceful public protest is a fundamental element of all democracies, but demonstrators must also respect the institutions and property of the Iraqi government, which belong to and serve the Iraqi people and should be allowed to function,” the embassy warned.
Stay tuned to National File for any updates.
RELATED: George W. Bush Accidentally Refers to Ukraine as ‘Iraq’
