Basra Local Government Leads Demonstrations

Basra's provincial council led a demonstration in front of the British Council denouncing random arrests and repeated raids on people's (houses.) The council is upset that the British authorities did not consult the local government before the raids. The council's demonstration was the latest in a series of protests against the British arrest of police intelligence officers. The demonstrators called for British forces to give them authority over Basra's security and withdraw from the city centre. They also insisted the British military officially declare that it won't conduct any raids without first notifying the local government.