Race will go on despite protests

The Crown Prince of Bahrain and Bernie Ecclestone yesterday stood side by side and issued a unified message this weekend’s Bahrain Grand Prix will go ahead.

It came on a day when a group of 50,000-plus protesters marched along the Budaiya Highway towards the former Pearl roundabout, the symbolic site of last year’s crushed uprising, before being dispersed by rounds of tear gas and pepper spray, along with sound bombs.

Plans for a demonstration close to the circuit ultimately failed to materialise as dissident group, the Coalition of the Youth of the Feb 14 Revolution, opted instead to focus their attention on the rally close to capital Manama.