London riots used by Iran, Bahrain to justify government crackdowns – striking difference in Bahrain is the government as actor of violence

London riots used by Iran, Bahrain to justify government crackdowns
By Elizabeth Flock – Posted at 09:35 AM ET, 08/10/2011

A pro-regime Bahraini newspaper contends that British Prime Minister David Cameron, right, and the King of Bahrain, Hamad ibn Isa Al Khalifa, left, have a few things in common. (ANDY RAIN – ASSOCIATED PRESS) It was only a matter of time before connections were drawn between London’s ongoing riots and the wave of demonstrations that has swept more than a dozen Arab countries over the past year.

But the connections aren’t being drawn by British protesters, seeking to connect themselves to a wider cause.

Instead, they’re claimed by government supporters in Iran and Bahrain, as a means of legitimizing the violent crackdowns on uprisings in their own countries.

After a cabinet meeting Wednesday, Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad went on state radio to urge the U.N. Security Council to take action over the British riots, saying that it was hypocritical in its reactions to such events.

“If one percent of this happens in countries that oppose the West, they scream until they are hoarse,” Ahmadinejad said.

By criticizing the actions of the British government against protesters, Ahmadinejad was seemingly trying to legitimize his own.

Ahmadinejad also called on British officials to listen to the demands of their people, a move that prompted Guardian reporter Haroon Siddique to call Ahmadinejad a “funnyman.” Many others picked up on the irony of the call from Ahmadinejad, whose government has been condemned internationally for its handling of protests and dissent:

Ahmadinejad: “No, no, no Britain! You’re supposed to wait until protesters go home, then kidnap them at night.” http://bit.ly/okPnAmless than a minute ago via TweetDeck Favorite Retweet ReplyMatt Duss
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In Syria, a country whose president has been under increasing fire from the international community to step down after killing demonstrators, state-run television also ran stories about the chaos in Britain.

Footage that showed a British policeman chasing and knocking a man down was accompanied by a caption that read: “Cameron: ‘We face a problem confronting the gangs in Britain.’” …more