Hundreds of protesters who broke into Baghdad’s fortified Green Zone and stormed government buildings will be arrested under the orders of Haider al-Abad, the prime minister.
The remarkable scenes unfolded in the Iraqi capital after days of political deadlock, as the government refused to take action on proposals to limit the influence of unelected political posts.
A statement issued by the prime minister’s office said that al-Abadi, who succeeded Nouri al-Maliki as prime minister in 2014, “directed the interior minister to pursue the elements who attacked the security forces and citizens and members of parliament and vandalised state properties”.
The protesters, according to the statement, will be referred “to the judiciary to receive their just punishment”.
The political crisis gripping the country comes in the wake of attacks by the Islamic State, as well as the refusal of entrenched political blocs within parliament to approve new cabinet ministers.
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Videos posted to social media showed protesters attacking a pair of Iraqi lawmakers as they attempted to flee the crowd. Other protesters surrounded escaping officials’ motorcades.
The situation was at its worst on Saturday, when protesters tore concrete slabs from a wall and mounted edifices to fly Iraqi flags.
Today things were calmer, with protesters walking through the Green Zone, taking pictures. Most people had previously been unable to gain access to the heavily-guarded area.
“This is the first time I’ve been here since I came with my school under Saddam (Hussein),” said Yusef al-Assadi, 32.
He took a picture of himself standing in front of the towering Monument to the Unknown Soldier in central Baghdad, which sits at the top of an artificial hill 250m in diameter.
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“It’s one of the most beautiful places in Baghdad. It should be for everyone, yet the people were not allowed here” Mr al-Assadi added.
The contrast between the pampered lives of Iraqi politicians and civil servants and those of the regular citizens was exposed during the protest.
The average person living in Baghdad must survive with limited services, including only a few hours of government-provided electricity per day, even in the height of summer.
Mr Assadi said that it was obvious “how rich this place is. Here, there is air conditioning and electricity everywhere, but the people of Iraq suffer from power cuts all the time”.