BBC NEWS
17 February 2011 Last updated at 12:55 GMT 
Protests have been banned in Bahrain and the military has been ordered to tighten its grip after the violent removal of anti-government demonstrators, state TV reports.
The army would take every measure necessary to preserve security, the interior ministry said.Three people died and hundreds were hurt overnight as riot police broke up a protest camp in the capital Manama.
The unrest comes amid a wave of protest in the Middle East and North Africa.
Bahrain's demonstrators want wide-ranging political reforms and had been camped out since Tuesday.
MPs resign The announcement on state television said the army had taken control of "key parts" of Manama.
The capital has been effectively shut down, with tanks, army patrols and military checkpoints on key streets and helicopters deployed overhead.
Barbed wire has been erected on roads leading to the main protest area, Pearl Square, and the interior ministry warned people to stay off the streets.
A ministry spokesman said: "The security forces have stressed that they will take every strict measure and deterrent necessary to preserve security and general order."Opposition politicians and protesters have expressed outrage at the violence of the crackdown.
A leader of the leading minority Shia opposition, Abdul Jalil Khalil, said 18 MPs were resigning in protest.
Ibrahim Sharif, of Bahrain's secular Waad party, told the BBC the protests would continue.
"We are going to do what's necessary to change this into a democratic country, even if some of us lose our lives," he said.
"We want a proper, functioning, constitutional democracy."
He said riot police had moved into Pearl Square at about 0300 (2400 GMT) as people were sleeping.
Mr Sharif said he had seen at least 100 riot police on one side of the square and hundreds of people running away down side roads.
One protester, Mohamed, told the BBC the attack had been "horrifying".
"They should have used water hoses at first instead of using rubber bullets and other prohibited weapons. There were women and children who were terrified by the attack."
The crackdown has caused unease in the West. Bahrain is a key UK and US ally and hosts the US Navy's Fifth Fleet.
UK Foreign Secretary William Hague condemned the violent clashes, calling on Bahrain's government to "exercise restraint".
At the scene
A number of people are reporting that not just tear gas and rubber bullets but also that live rounds were used at some point. We have just spoken to a doctor - he was at the protest site last night as a volunteer to help people with basic medical needs. He was attacked and is in intensive care with severe injuries. He gave us graphic details of how he was beaten and cursed and how he feared for his life.
There is a mood of defiance among protesters here but they are in shock at what has happened. Last night there had been a festival atmosphere in the square and nobody saw this coming. It will take days to work out whether there is a political response, a street response, that they can come to.
Barbed wire has been erected on roads leading to the main protest area, Pearl Square, and the interior ministry warned people to stay off the streets.
A ministry spokesman said: "The security forces have stressed that they will take every strict measure and deterrent necessary to preserve security and general order."Opposition politicians and protesters have expressed outrage at the violence of the crackdown.
A leader of the leading minority Shia opposition, Abdul Jalil Khalil, said 18 MPs were resigning in protest.
Ibrahim Sharif, of Bahrain's secular Waad party, told the BBC the protests would continue.
"We are going to do what's necessary to change this into a democratic country, even if some of us lose our lives," he said.
"We want a proper, functioning, constitutional democracy."
He said riot police had moved into Pearl Square at about 0300 (2400 GMT) as people were sleeping.
Mr Sharif said he had seen at least 100 riot police on one side of the square and hundreds of people running away down side roads.
One protester, Mohamed, told the BBC the attack had been "horrifying".
"They should have used water hoses at first instead of using rubber bullets and other prohibited weapons. There were women and children who were terrified by the attack."
The crackdown has caused unease in the West. Bahrain is a key UK and US ally and hosts the US Navy's Fifth Fleet.
UK Foreign Secretary William Hague condemned the violent clashes, calling on Bahrain's government to "exercise restraint".
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-12495733
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