In the following weeks the demonstration expanded and reached a height of 7000 protesters. A sit-in demonstration was held and demonstrators occupied the Freedom Square (Saray Azadi in Kurdish) in Sulaymaniyah. About 400 protesters gathered in Sulaimaniya's central square, but at least 50 were hurt when some demonstrators allegedly began to attack police with sticks and stones, leading to a riot.[7][8] Religious leaders and other opposition parties joined the protesters[9] Security forces clashed with protesters several times and both sides took casualties resulting in the dead of ten people[10]