Thousands of people have rallied in Bahrain to mark this week’s third anniversary of a pro-democracy movement. Opposition activists began protesting the U.S.-backed Sunni regime on February 14, 2011, amidst popular uprisings in Egypt and Tunisia. The protests have been crushed by martial law and a U.S.-backed invasion of Saudi Arabian forces. A massive crowded marched in the capital Manama on Tuesday behind a banner reading, “It’s impossible for the Bahraini people to give up on democracy.” Bahrain is a key U.S. government ally in the Gulf, hosting the Navy’s 5th Fleet.