Anti-Assad Syrian Students Stage Demo in Tripoli

إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية W460

Hundreds of students gathered amid tight security in the northern Lebanese city of Tripoli on Friday to demand that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad step down.

"Take our blood if you want, but go," chanted around 400 students from the state-run Lebanese University -- including 50 Syrians -- who had gathered in the port city of Tripoli.

Students took to the streets after Friday prayers, chanting: "Your bullets only give our revolution strength" and "God, Syria, freedom."

"We will continue to gather every week in support of the people of Syria, to make sure the world hears their voice," said Syrian student Mohammed al-Asaad, one of the organizers.

"We are here legally, under Lebanese law, and aim at holding peaceful rallies that do not break the law," he told Agence France Presse.

Riot police were deployed in force as the protesters tried to make their way from Tripoli's Sunni Muslim district of al-Qebbeh to Jabal Mohsen, an Alawite district, before being blocked by troops.

The mainly Sunni city of Tripoli, Lebanon's second largest after the capital Beirut, is also home to a minority Muslim Alawite community which strongly backs the regime of Assad, himself a Alawite.

The Syrian government is engaged in a deadly crackdown on protesters who since March have been demanding the end of 48 years of rule by the Assad-controlled Baath party.

Local authorities in northern Lebanon estimate that at least 5,000 Syrian refugees have crossed the border since April, fleeing the violence.

Comments 4
Missing urotherside 11 June 2011, 02:40

Really? And how do I know they are Syrians? maybe they are Lebanse :)

Default-user-icon Your side (Guest) 11 June 2011, 02:57

You only need to hear their accent and u will understand they're Syrian....right?!?!?!

Missing urotherside 11 June 2011, 09:25

They look like muslim brotherhood to me, which Tripoli is full of. Anywaym they are all the same whether from Syria or Lebanon. Once they are done with bashar they will be starting in Lebanon.

Yeehaw .. go brotherhood. That's real freedom baby.

Default-user-icon Your side (Guest) 11 June 2011, 19:38

To be honest Syrians look like very similar to Muslim brotherhood, their accent is only different. If they are Syrians they are allowed to protest peacefully under Lebanese law ONLY. If they are Lebanese, they're stupid to be manipulated and get involved in an very sensitive issue. We all know Bashar will go down at one stage, in a week, month, or year...The questions is how will the people use the new freedom? I think they will use it to oppress the minority. Unfortunately, a democratic change will never really come because people with poor education can never peacefully and fairly govern.