March 14 Protesters Re-Block Grand Serail Road after Security Forces Attempt to Reopen it
The security forces reopened on Friday the road facing the Grand Serail in downtown Beirut after it was blocked by a March 14-led opposition sit-in, reported the daily An Nahar on Saturday.
It added however that the youth protesters soon re-blocked the road, renewing their demand for the government's resignation.
The protesters then held a press conference at the sit-in, condemning the Israeli assault against the Gaza Strip.
They then asserted their right to maintain the sit-in, saying: “Our presence at this camp is a civilized and democratic message.”
“It does not pose a threat to the Grand Serail,” they added,
“We are making our demands in a democratic manner and our closure of the roads has not harmed the interests of the people as other protesters before us had,” they said in an indirect reference to a March 8 camp sit-in that was held in the area and which started in December 2006 and ended in May 2008.
It was held to demand the resignation of the government of then Prime Minister Fouad Saniora.
The March 14 youths continued: “Reopening the road poses a danger to those who want to fuel the fire. Our decision to keep the road blocked is a message to the international community of the frustration felt by the majority of the Lebanese people.”
The youths staged the protest in light of the assassination of Internal Security Forces Intelligence Bureau head Brigadier General Wissam al-Hasan.
He was killed in a massive car bomb in Beirut's Ashrafiyeh district on October 19.
The opposition accused Syria of being behind the crime and blamed the government, which is comprised of mainly pro-Syria allies, of covering up for the criminals.
The youths said that the open-ended sit-in will continue until the government resigns.
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