Free Republic

Demonstrators will protest against Karami's reinstatement Hundreds of thousands of people have rallied in central Beirut in the largest anti-Syrian protest in Lebanon since the assassination of former prime minister Rafiq al-Hariri. Flag-waving crowds from across Lebanon gathered in Martyrs' Square in central Beirut on Monday, just metres away from al-Hariri's grave, to demand an international inquiry into his killing, the sacking of Syrian-backed security chiefs and a total Syrian pullout. The opposition rally came a day after huge crowds turned out in the south for an anti-US demonstration organised by Lebanon's Shia Muslim Hizb Allah group, an ally of...

An emboldened Lebanese opposition mobilized more than 800,000 people to demand an end to Syrian military domination of Lebanon, hurling a potent challenge to the Syrian-backed government here. Beirut city official Mounib Nassereddine said the estimate of 800,000 did did not include demonstrators who were still arriving from all parts of the country ahead of the rally. Thousands of Lebanese had made their way throughout the morning to the capital by car, bus and boat, heading for Martyrs Square and the grave of former prime minister Rafiq Hariri, assassinated exactly one month ago in a bomb blast. Lebanese television aired...

Nearly two million people from different regions of Lebanon have gathered in the capital Beirut for protests organized by the opposition party. Members of the press located in the protest region have reported that the protestors are arriving in Beirut by car, ship, and even on foot in preparation for the largest meeting since the assassination of the former Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri on February 14. A traffic jam was reported between the north and the Damascus highways where cars were bumper to bumper, and rally goers arriving in Beirut were demanding an explanation for Hariri's murder and for the...

Some comments and pictures from FDD Senior Fellow Walid Phares: A sea of demonstrators of at least 1.5 million, stretching to the Mediterranean. According to most sources, more than a million and a half joined the demonstration. This would represent more than one third of Lebanon's population. The other side of the demonstration. Bridges, buildings... Christian and Muslim women. Sign saying: “We are two million demonstrators, without the “Brothers.” A hint at Hezbollah’s march last week, which included a third of Syrian workers.