Protests intensified in the oil-rich province of Basra as dozens of engineering, petroleum, and science graduates shut down access to the Basra Oil Company's headquarters. The demonstrators are pressing for official government contracts and employment opportunities within the Ministry of Oil. The action follows a crackdown the previous day in which riot police forcibly cleared the area; however, protesters regrouped to reinforce their sit-in, maintaining that they will remain on-site until their demands are met.