March 14 Protesters Form Human Chain from Martyrs Square to Grand Serail
Youth and student groups from the March 14 coalition on Sunday marked ten days since the assassination of Internal Security Forces Intelligence Bureau head Maj. Gen. Wissam al-Hasan.
Demonstrators in downtown Beirut formed a human chain that stretched from the Martyrs Square to the Grand Serail, carrying Lebanese flags and banners condemning the assassination and demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Najib Miqati's government.
Hasan and two other people were killed in a powerful car bombing in the Beirut district of Ashrafiyeh on Friday. More than 100 people were wounded in the attack which gutted two apartment blocs.
The opposition March 14 camp blames Syria for the crime and has been demanding the resignation of the cabinet, which is comprised of pro-Syrian forces.
"We do not want to block roads, but rather to reopen the closed roads. We want the Lebanese to live in dignity and our camp (at Riad al-Solh) is peaceful," said the representative of the Phalange Party's youth organization outside the Grand Serail.
Addressing Hizbullah and the Syrian regime, the representative of al-Mustaqbal Movement's youth organization stressed that "the will of the Lebanese people is stronger than your rockets and stronger than Michel Samaha's bombs."
"Despite all the intimidation we won't leave this square," he added.
The representative of the Lebanese Forces demanded "the expulsion of the Syrian ambassador and the formation of a just government."
"We stress that we will carry on with our sit-in until Miqati steps down," he vowed.
In Tripoli, popular, political and parliamentary delegations flocked to the open-ended sit-in outside Miqati's residence.
A delegation from Hasan's family was receiving condolences at a tent erected at the location.
MPs Qassem Abdul Aziz, Mohammed Kabbara, Kazem al-Kheir, Ahmed Fatfat, Khodr Habib, Khaled Zahraman, Fadi Karam and ex-MP Mustafa Alloush were among those who joined the sit-in.
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