Kuwaitis defy government ban, stage protest

Kuwaiti opposition protestors take cover from tear gas fired by riot police during a demonstration demanding that the new parliament be dissolved and controversial legislation be scrapped, in Kuwait City, January 6, 2013. / YASSER AL-ZAYYAT/AFP/Getty Images

KUWAIT CITY Riot police in Kuwait have fired tear gas and stun grenades to disperse more than 1,000 anti-government protesters, defying strict rules limiting political demonstrations in the Gulf nation.

Kuwaiti authorities have said rallies must receive written permission as part of efforts to quell growing unrest over last month's parliamentary elections.

But organizers of Sunday's protest used social media to mobilize crowds.

• Defying rally ban, Kuwaitis are met with tear gas

Opposition groups have accused Kuwait's ruler of overstepping his powers by changing voting rules that appeared to favor government critics, which span from Islamist factions and pro-reform liberals.

They now seek to bring down the new parliament dominated by pro-government lawmakers.

Kuwaiti rights activist Mohammed Al-Humaidi says several protesters were arrested. There were no immediate reports of injuries.

[quincytodd]

Could this be the same Kuwait that we purportedly "liberated" back in 1991 from Iraq? Is this the kind of "democracy" that we're supposed to defend? Does anyone here remember the phony outrage belched out by Bush Sr. and his henchmen back in 1990 when Iraq took over Kuwait? I do and how this government had the American public fooled over the phony atrocities committed by the Iraqi troops there! Propaganda can be quite effective at times like this!