Manama- Bahrain’s King Hamad has banned protests in Manama in an amendment to a law on public gatherings, ahead of a major opposition demonstration, expected in mid-August, the state news agency BNA reported.

The monarch, whose kingdom has been rocked by protests since 2011, also toughened penalties against the guardians of minors caught taking part in protests, BNA said late on Tuesday, August 6.

Guardians of minors participating in protests will be given a warning the first time. If the act is repeated, the minor will undergo vocational training or be sent to a social care center, and the guardians will be fined or jailed.

The decree modifies the law to “ban organizing protests, rallies, gatherings or sit-ins in Manama, with the exception of sit-ins outside (offices of) international organizations” in the capital held with written police authorization.

Demonstrators have kept up their protests against the ruling monarchy despite a 2011 crackdown backed by Saudi-led Gulf troops, sparking repeated clashes with security forces.

Young protesters frequently take to the streets during late-night hours. But the demonstrations have been confined to villages surrounding Manama.

The authorities have reported a growing number of shootings and bombings targeting police stations and patrols in villages outside Manama, blaming “terrorists” for the attacks.

At least 80 people have been killed in Bahrain since anti-regime protests erupted two years ago, according to the International Federation for Human Rights.

Strategically located across the Gulf from Iran, Bahrain is home to the U.S. Navy’s Fifth Fleet and is an offshore financial and services center for its oil-rich Arab neighbors in the Gulf.