Beirut protests in solidarity with Syrian people
- 12 years ago
Hundreds of people took part in a demonstration in Beirut, Lebanon's capital, in solidarity with neighbouring Syrian people as Syrian security forces' heightened its crackdown on peaceful protesters and civilians.
The protest in Beirut, which included prominent intellectualls, writers, journalists and activists, was held on Monday in the symbolic Martyr's Square to grieve over the more than 2,000 Syrians killed since March.
This is a first time a demonstration like this has been held in Beirut, where the government response to the violence in Syria has been largely mute.
Lebanon's ex-premier Saad Hariri on Monday urged his country to denounce the "massacre" taking place in Syria.
"Lebanon cannot dissociate itself from the open massacre taking place" in Syria, Hariri, whose cabinet was toppled in January by the Syrian-backed party Hezbollah and its allies, said in a statement.
He called on the new Lebanese government of Prime Minister Najib Mikati, in which Hezbollah plays a key role, to dissociate itself from backing the repression in Syria.
Hariri's statement came amid mounting condemnation by Arab states of the violence in Syria, including a firm rebuke by the Saudi monarch, whose country until now had remained largely silent over the bloodshed.
Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Bahrain all announced on Monday that they were recalling their ambassadors from Damascus.
Lebanon last week dissociated itself from a statement by the UN Security Council condemning Syria's President Bashar al-Assad for unleashing a fierce campaign against civilians and violating human rights.
Mikati on Monday reiterated that Lebanon's position was linked to the fact that it did not wish to meddle in Syria's internal affairs.
Demonstrations against the Syrian regime have been taking place regularly in Tripoli in northern Lebanon but not in the Lebanese capital until this protest.
"No to silence," read of the banners held as many protesters chanting anti-Assad rhetoric.
One man cried: ''We swear by our creator that we will put you Bashar on trial , you and your regime.''
Another said this protest was the least that could be done to show support to the Syrians.
"This is the least we can do, we should have done more, the entire country should be participating in this demonstration. In the end, Syrians are not just our brothers, we are the same race,'' said Firas Ghaleb, a Lebanese activist.
Al Jazeera's Rula Amin reports from Beirut.
The protest in Beirut, which included prominent intellectualls, writers, journalists and activists, was held on Monday in the symbolic Martyr's Square to grieve over the more than 2,000 Syrians killed since March.
This is a first time a demonstration like this has been held in Beirut, where the government response to the violence in Syria has been largely mute.
Lebanon's ex-premier Saad Hariri on Monday urged his country to denounce the "massacre" taking place in Syria.
"Lebanon cannot dissociate itself from the open massacre taking place" in Syria, Hariri, whose cabinet was toppled in January by the Syrian-backed party Hezbollah and its allies, said in a statement.
He called on the new Lebanese government of Prime Minister Najib Mikati, in which Hezbollah plays a key role, to dissociate itself from backing the repression in Syria.
Hariri's statement came amid mounting condemnation by Arab states of the violence in Syria, including a firm rebuke by the Saudi monarch, whose country until now had remained largely silent over the bloodshed.
Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Bahrain all announced on Monday that they were recalling their ambassadors from Damascus.
Lebanon last week dissociated itself from a statement by the UN Security Council condemning Syria's President Bashar al-Assad for unleashing a fierce campaign against civilians and violating human rights.
Mikati on Monday reiterated that Lebanon's position was linked to the fact that it did not wish to meddle in Syria's internal affairs.
Demonstrations against the Syrian regime have been taking place regularly in Tripoli in northern Lebanon but not in the Lebanese capital until this protest.
"No to silence," read of the banners held as many protesters chanting anti-Assad rhetoric.
One man cried: ''We swear by our creator that we will put you Bashar on trial , you and your regime.''
Another said this protest was the least that could be done to show support to the Syrians.
"This is the least we can do, we should have done more, the entire country should be participating in this demonstration. In the end, Syrians are not just our brothers, we are the same race,'' said Firas Ghaleb, a Lebanese activist.
Al Jazeera's Rula Amin reports from Beirut.