Anti-government protesters caused chaos across Bahrain yesterday, forcing businesses to close and causing massive tailbacks in some places.

Companies sent their staff home early from work over fears they could be caught up in demonstrations, while many shops closed due to a lack of customers.

Protests took place in several areas across Bahrain throughout the day, including Nuwaidrat, Duraz, Bilad Al Qadeem, Sanabis and Sitra, said a report in the Gulf Daily News, our sister newspaper.

Some were peaceful, but others ended in clashes between masked protesters and riot police - who used tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse the crowds.

In Duraz, where around 80 to 100 people gathered in the afternoon, police only stepped in after demonstrators began to spill onto the Budaiya Highway.

In Sanabis, demonstrators appeared to throw stones at riot police, who fired back with tear gas and rubber bullets.

The protest in Bilad Al Qadeem passed smoothly, with around 400 people among the demonstrators and no police in sight.

The largest crowd of the afternoon was in Sitra, where more than 600 gathered to demonstrate under the watchful gaze of no more than 25 riot police.

However, the police moved on after a religious leader warned them that their presence could provoke a violent response from protesters.

Clashes were also reported in Bani Jamra, Nuwaidrat, Jidhafs and Daih.

Sources told the newspaper that 11 people injured in clashes received treatment at Salmaniya Medical Complex (SMC).

Most were suffering from the after-effects of tear gas, but some were treated for rubber bullet injuries.

Meanwhile, Interior Minister Shaikh Rashid bin Abdulla Al Khalifa last night expressed his condolences to the family of Ali Abdulhadi Mushaima who died after being injured during incidents that took place in Daih.

He said that an investigation would be launched to find the circumstances and reasons for resorting to the use of weapons. The minister stressed that if investigations revealed
 that there was no legal justification for the use of weapons then legal action would be taken against the person who was responsible.