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'No one can intimidate us anymore'
 In defiance of an official ban against demonstrations and an orchestrated attempt to block highways leading to the capital, tens of thousands of people converged on Martyrs' Square in Downtown Beirut on Monday, many of whom had been there for the entire night. "They said they will prevent people from protesting as of Monday 5 a.m.," said Adnan Zaghlouli on Sunday evening. "We gathered from tonight to join tomorrow's protest."Zaghlouli and his friends' left Tripoli on Sunday afternoon after hearing Interior Minister Suleiman Franjieh's statement calling on the Internal Security Forces "to take all necessary steps to preserve security and order and prevent demonstrations and gatherings on Monday." As soldiers manning barriers in central Beirut prevented hundreds of protesters from getting into the square, those already inside quickly came to their aid. Gathering in groups of 50, 60 and sometimes 100, demonstrators distracted discretely cooperative soldiers by rushing them in a staged fury, while those on the outside snuck in. Mario Saad, 18, said: "Today we are calling for the government's resignation. Even, if the parliamentary procedures fail, the people have made their choice; they want a government free of foreign influence." At around 11:30 p.m., the highway from Jounieh leading to the capital was blocked by a convoy of Lebanese Forces and Free Patriotic Movement supporters with more than 200 cars headed to the protest. "We are all together here to say that we have had it," said Myriam Khoury and Danielle Kattar, both 24. Kattar added: "We came here to express our opinion, and no one can intimidate us anymore." Khoury said: "We have had enough of being governed by incompetent people. We deserve to be represented by a new political class that stands for us." Posted by: Fred 2005-03-01 |
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