Bahrain police fired tear gas and sound bombs to disperse hundreds of demonstrators gathering outside Manama to protest against this month’s Formula One Grand Prix.

Bahrain police fired tear gas and sound bombs to disperse hundreds of demonstrators gathering outside Manama to protest against this month's Formula One Grand Prix.

Demonstrations took place Thursday night in the village of Khamis close to Manama.
"Your race is a crime," the protesters chanted in reference to motor racing bosses who have insisted on keeping the Bahrain Grand Prix on the Formula One calendar, witnesses said.

"Down with Hamad," demonstrators shouted as they chanted: "the people want the fall of the regime.”

Clashes erupted when anti-riot police intervened to disperse the crowd.

The event took place a day after Human Right Watch slammed the Saudi-baked regime for being more concerned with arresting activist ahead of the Formula One Grand Prix rather than with “addressing the legitimate grievances that have led so many Bahrainis to take to the streets.”

The New York-based reported that police officers have arrested 20 people so far in raids in towns around the Gulf state's Sakhir circuit.

"Bahraini authorities are carrying out home raids and arbitrarily detaining opposition protesters in advance of the Formula 1 Grand Prix weekend," it said.