KUWAIT CITY — Kuwait said on Thursday rioting and violence would be met with a firm response after it made several arrests at a protest over the conviction of an opposition politician for insulting the country's ruler. Witnesses said police fired teargas Wednesday to disperse thousands demonstrating against the conviction of former member of parliament Musallam Al-Barrak, who was sentenced to five years in jail for the comments last year. Despite Kuwait saying it was a fair hearing, Monday's trial has rekindled tension after a period of relative calm following a parliamentary election in December, with supporters staging nightly protests. “Any form of riot, violence, instigating of riots and violence or lawlessness would meet (a) resolute and firm response,” the Interior Ministry said on state news agency KUNA. Some protesters engaged in “acts of rioting and violence”, on Wednesday, the ministry said, adding that some people had been arrested, without giving numbers. It said people had fired shots into the air “to provoke security personnel”, and protesters had aimed fireworks at police. — Reuters
