A 14-story building in central Baghdad emerges as a landmark in the anti-government protests gripping Iraq. Demonstrators took over the abandoned building from security forces, and have sworn not to leave it.
In this Oct. 30, 2019, photo, Iraqi anti-government protesters hang their demands and slogans while standing on a building near Tahrir Square, Baghdad, Iraq. An abandoned building in central Baghdad has emerged as the epicenter of anti-government protests in Iraq, with hundreds holed up inside. The Saddam Hussein-era building known as the “Turkish Restaurant” overlooks Tahrir Square, the Tigris River and the Green Zone, and protesters who took it over on Oct. 25 have sworn not to leave it.
The 14-story, Saddam Hussein-era building on the Tigris River has emerged as a landmark in the anti-government protests gripping Iraq. The structure has been abandoned since 2003, when it was bombed by the U.S.-led forces in their invasion, but has now been taken over from security forces by demonstrators since Oct. 25. They have sworn not to leave it.
“The protesters were very smart when they occupied it. They now can monitor the movements of security forces and it’s difficult to get it back because of the crowds,” said the general, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to talk about security measures. Ali Hashim, a 19-year-old former university student in a black T-shirt and holding an Iraqi flag, was hanging out with friends on the 12th floor of the building.The protests are not directed by any political party. Instead, they take aim at the political establishment that came to power after the U.S. invasion, which many blame for Iraq’s spiraling corruption and poor public services.
Protesters have sought to cross the flashpoint Jumhouriyya and Sanak bridges to get to the heavily fortified Green Zone. They have failed every time as riot police stationed on the bridges confronted them with tear gas and stun grenades.
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