Pearl Roundabout

The roundabout was named after the pearl monument that previously stood on the site and was destroyed on 18 March 2011 by government forces as part of a crackdown on protesters during the Bahraini uprising of 2011.

The roundabout served originally as a major traffic intersection for routes into the capital city, although it is now bypassed by a flyover and junction complex built as part of Bahrain's 2030 modernization plan.

[1] The Pearl Monument previously stood in the center of the circle,[1] having been erected in 1982 on the occasion of the third summit of the Gulf Cooperation Council, which was hosted by Bahrain for the first time in Manama on 9–11 November of that year.

[12] As per the credited filmmaker of Al Jazeera undercover documentary Bahrain: Shouting in the Dark May Ying Welsh, the moment of demolition was censored on state television in order to hide the man's death.

[16] On 15 February 2011, after the funeral procession of Ali Mushaima, shot and killed by riot police during the Day of Rage, more people joined the demonstrators and moved towards the Pearl Roundabout, where they arrived at around 15:00.

[17] On 17 February 2011, while demonstrators were spending the night at the Pearl Roundabout, police forces entered the location at 3:00 in an attempt to disperse the protesters.

[22] The following day, he ordered the military tanks to leave the Pearl Monument and protesters were allowed to occupy the area peacefully and were guaranteed by the Crown Prince that they would be able to demonstrate without any further attacks.

[26] After demolishing the Pearl Monument, the government announced that the roundabout would be replaced with traffic lights, possibly to ease congestion in the financial district.

[27] The government changed the name of the site to Al Farooq Junction, a reference to Umar ibn al-Khattab, a historical figure revered by Sunni Muslims as the second Caliph, but hated by Shi'a, who believe him to be the killer of Muhammad's daughter and Ali's wife Fatima.