PROTESTERS HAVE MOVED back into the centre of the Bahraini capital after scores were hospitalised earlier today when police fired tear gas and live ammunition into crowds.

Thousands of jubilant protesters carrying flags, flowers and signs that read “Peaceful, peaceful” marched through the streets of Manama to Pearl Square, the focal point of demonstrations, chanting “We are victorious”.

The army and police withdrew after Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad al-Khalifa, deputy commander of armed forces, ordered “all security forces to immediately withdraw from assembly areas”, said BNA state agency.

The BBC reports that the crown prince is now in the process of meeting with political parties, including Shia opposition parties in the Sunni-ruled country.

Some 231 people were wounded and four were killed over the past week, according to Reuters. Sixty to 80 people were taken to Salmaniya hospital after inhaling toxic tear gas earlier today.

But the protesters seemed undeterred by the brutal use of force – one woman, a teacher named Umm Mohammed, told the news agency: “We don’t fear death any more, let the army come and kill us to show the world what kind of savages they are.”