<p>Thousands of Shiite supporters</a> of influential cleric Muqtada al-Sadr flocked to Baghdad’s Tahrir Square on Friday, August 4, to rally against recently proposed electoral legislation</a> in the Iraqi parliament.</p><p>Sadr has made a number of statements critical of the legislation</a>, which he believes will allow for the current governing coalition to ensure its electoral survival while continuing corrupt business practices. The weekly rallies led by al-Sadr in Tahrir Square, which have often drawn thousands of people, have consistently pushed back the expected date of Iraqi provincial elections, which are scheduled to be held in September.</p><p>The demonstration concluded peacefully as most similar incidents have in the past, but Iraqi officials heightened security measures in the eastern part of the city overnight. Credit: Twitter/MethaqAlFayyadh via Storyful</p><br />
