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the Shi’ite defendants a fair hearing. Moreover the appointed judges were Sunnis

from the royal family and the Shi’ites feared that they would be given an unfair

hearing. The final verdict reached in the trial sentenced one of the accused Shi’ites

to a one-year in prison and a fine, three others to two years imprisonment and a

fine, and a fourth to a one-month jail sentence. The three Sunnis received only a

one-month jail sentence. Burrows explained what might be misread according to

him as unfair verdicts between the two sects, was due to the Shi’ite crowd who had

arrived from a village in close proximity to BAPCO’s station to take part in the

fight. 188

As soon as the verdicts were read out, according to Belgrave who himself had

announced the sentences, chaos erupted as Shi’ites opposed to the court’s decision

declared their objection. Crowds ran into the Manama Souq (market) calling on

shopkeepers to close their stores. Later a crowd of demonstrators assembled at the

British Political Agency, although no serious rioting was recorded. 189

Burrows despatched to the FO on the same day a sketch of the events and

added that the demonstrators who had gathered at the Agency’s headquarters

managed to meet the Political Agent and insisted on their demands to have the

British intervene to nullify the sentences and for British protection. The number of

demonstrators was estimated to be approximately one hundred. The angry crowd

made it clear to Wall their desire to stay until all their demands were met.

Nevertheless, the Agent managed successfully to disperse them. 190

188 TNA, FO 371/109813, Burrows to FO, 20 July 1954.
189 Sir Charles Dalrymple Belgrave’s Personal Diaries, 30 June 1954.
190 TNA, FO 371/109813, Burrows to FO, 30 June 1954.

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