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Summary Angry protesters hurled stones in Baghdad on Friday as thousands of demonstrators took to streets across Iraq for a Day of Rage that left seven people dead in clashes with police.
Around 5,000 demonstrators gathered at Baghdads Tahrir Square, crowds of them angrily throwing stones, shoes and plastic bottles at riot police and soldiers blocking off Jumhuriyah Bridge. Demonstrators overturned two concrete blast walls, which had been erected to seal off access to Baghdads heavily-fortified Green Zone, home to the US embassy and parliament.Security was deployed in force, imposing a city-wide vehicle ban after Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki claimed Al-Qaeda insurgents and loyalists of deposed dictator Saddam Hussein organised the demonstrations. Rallies in Iraq have called for improved public services, more jobs and less corruption, and some for broader political reforms.Protesters set fire to provincial government offices in Mosul and the city council building in Hawija. Fifteen other people were injured elsewhere in the north and west. In the port city of Basra, the provincial governor resigned after 3,000 protesters gathered. Soldiers and police fired into the air to disperse the rally. No injuries were reported.
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