Bahrain 1st-Hand: Zainab Alkhawaja "The Day I Was Shot by Police"

Last Thursday prominent activist Zainab Alkhawaja was struck in the leg by a tear gas canister fired by riot police as protesters gathered in Buri.

Last night she wrote on the experience on Twitter:

It was strange to experience something I have been tweeting abt for more than a year now #Bahrain

— angry arabiya (@angryarabiya) July 2, 2012

To be rushed to hospital but then realize nurses and doctors are more nervous abt treating you then letting you bleed #bahrain

— angry arabiya (@angryarabiya) July 2, 2012

For a nurse to put a plaster on ur wound, tell you its very serious and u need help, but that u must leave the hospital #Bahrain

— angry arabiya (@angryarabiya) July 2, 2012

But I must admit, there r many ppl, who taught me things, that made this experience so much easier for me to handle #Bahrain

— angry arabiya (@angryarabiya) July 2, 2012

But I must admit, there r many ppl, who taught me things, that made this experience so much easier for me to handle #Bahrain

— angry arabiya (@angryarabiya) July 2, 2012

My injury was stitched quickly at first, but I knew something was wrong when I got home and I was bleeding over everything #Bahrain

— angry arabiya (@angryarabiya) July 2, 2012

I remembered all the times I rushed to houses in villages and saw protesters bleeding, they greeted me with a smile #Bahrain

— angry arabiya (@angryarabiya) July 2, 2012

When I found out I had a fractured bone, I remembered the protester who had two broken legs, I remembered his smile #Bahrain

— angry arabiya (@angryarabiya) July 2, 2012

I was told the teargas canister had torn my skin from the flesh, that my skin was flapping with no blood flow reaching it... #Bahrain

— angry arabiya (@angryarabiya) July 2, 2012

I remembered the protesters burned by riot police, with all their legs burnt, their skin falling off, I remembered their smiles #Bahrain

— angry arabiya (@angryarabiya) July 2, 2012

When I was told I'll need 4 layers of stitching, to keep my muscles, flesh & skin together, my smile did not fade.. #bahrain

— angry arabiya (@angryarabiya) July 2, 2012

those arnd me might not understand, might think its a mask, but I've seen ppl go thru much worse, with bigger smiles #Bahrain

— angry arabiya (@angryarabiya) July 2, 2012

They told me it cud take a year for my leg to go back to normal, they told me I'll have to depend on crutches or a wheelchair #Bahrain

— angry arabiya (@angryarabiya) July 2, 2012

I understand, but compared to what my brothers have sacrificed, this is not much, and I smile as they smile #Bahrain

— angry arabiya (@angryarabiya) July 2, 2012

I smile becuz when u know ur fighting for something worthwhile, u know ur sacrifices don't go in vain #Bahrain

— angry arabiya (@angryarabiya) July 2, 2012

As soon as I can walk on my crutches, I will be participating in a protest, alongside all the protesters I am so proud of #Bahrain

— angry arabiya (@angryarabiya) July 2, 2012

riot police who attack us might see me on crutches, another protester with an injured eye, and the 3rd with pellets in his face... #Bahrain

— angry arabiya (@angryarabiya) July 2, 2012

..... but they'll also see the determination in our eyes #Bahrain

— angry arabiya (@angryarabiya) July 2, 2012