Beginning in February 2011 , Bahrain saw sustained pro-democracy protests , centered at Pearl Roundabout in the capital of Manama , as part of the wider Arab Spring . Authorities responded with a night raid on 17 February ( later referred to by protesters as Bloody Thursday ) , which left four protesters dead and more than 300 injured . In March , martial law was declared and Saudi troops were called in . Despite the hard crackdown and official ban , the protests continued . According to the International Federation for Human Rights , at least 80 people were killed during the unrest
Bloody Thursday
Bahrain Bloody Thursday
Bahrain Tamarod