Thousands of Iraqis took to the streets Friday in various cities in the country to condemn the Bahraini regime’s crack down of protests that have been taking place for over a year now.

Thousands of Iraqis took to the streets Friday in various cities in the country to condemn the Bahraini regime’s crack down of protests that have been taking place for over a year now.

The Iraqi protests were organized by Al-Sadr movement and called for the freedom of Bahrain, condemning the Saudi military intervention that assisted the regime in suppressing the peaceful protests.

Sadr Movement official Ibrahim Al-Jabari said in a speech he delivered before demonstrators that “the Bahraini king is a king only to himself, not for the oppressed people,” AFP reported.

According to the news agency, Al-Jabari also criticized the Arab League for barring Syria from attending an upcoming summit in Baghdad, but allowing Bahrain to join.

Rallies took place in Najaf, the southern port city of Basra, and the towns of Nasiriyah, Hilla, Amara and Diwaniyah.