Baghdad Announces Security Measures Ahead of Tahrir Square Protests

Security authorities in Baghdad have introduced a series of measures ahead of demonstrations scheduled for Sunday morning in Tahrir Square, including a ban on motorcycles and tuk-tuks along roads leading to the square, while keeping the routes open to regular traffic.

A security source said the measures aim to secure the planned October 25 protests, protect demonstrators, and safeguard public and private property.

The security plan also includes thorough searches of individuals at access points leading to Tahrir Square. Security forces will not close roads unless necessary and with authorization from senior command, the source added.

The restrictions on motorcycles of all types and tuk-tuks are scheduled to take effect at midnight between Saturday and Sunday.

The preparations come amid calls for large-scale demonstrations in Baghdad and several Iraqi provinces to mark the seventh anniversary of the 2019 October protests. Activists and protest coordination groups are urging broad participation to demand reforms, combat corruption, and hold officials accountable for the killing of demonstrators.

Separately, several printing shops and commercial businesses near Tahrir Square closed on Saturday after their owners received security notifications instructing them to suspend operations temporarily until the anticipated demonstrations conclude.

The October protests began on October 1, 2019, and gained significant momentum on October 25. The demonstrations resulted in hundreds of deaths and thousands of injuries, alongside arrests, abductions, and assassinations targeting activists and participants in the protest movement.