A crackdown that killed dozens failed to stop massive demonstrations against Yemen's U.S.-backed president, as crowds of thousands clashed Saturday with security forces smashing their protest camps and even seized control of one southern city.
In the capital, the government had to bring out tank units and other military forces to protect key buildings as crowds swelled. Protesters also stood their ground in the southern city of Mualla, surging out of their destroyed encampment and encircling a police station.
Protests have been going on a month now. I tend not to pay too much attention to Yemen in this Arab Spring since I assume this is more tribal and north-south related rather than reform motivated. So I figure that the government is resilient in the face of what is business-related unrest, and that deals will be cut and money will change hands, and things will die down.
But I could be wrong.
