Armed Forces and Black Flags: A Sit-in Against Death Penalty

from Mohammed shublaq - 17.01.2004 18:35

Today, at dawn, three humans were executed "in the name of the Lebanese people". They were accused of murder, however, they were murdered too! The execution orders were issued quickly; as a result, the reactions against the orders came rapidly.

Yesterday, at 4 p.m., about 30 anti-executioners had a sit-in in front of the Lebanese Parliament. The Lebanese Parliament is located at Nejmeh square, in the Beirut Downtown district, the re-constructed sector of Beirut. Official buildings, high-class shops, restaurants, cafés and business offices are located in the Beirut downtown district. Because of its touristic, official and 'class' importance, the area is usually surrounded and guarded by police and even with fully armed soldiers.

Quietly, the anti-executioners gathered in Nejmeh square. Shortly, press reporters and photographers from local and international networks started to assemble around the death penalty rejecters. A couple of minutes later, a faction of around 50 Lebanese army soldiers, armed with M-16 automatic rifles and thick wooden batons, occupied the square. The head of the soldiers yelled at the reporters to evacuate the square. Then, the officer turned around toward the protesters ordering them to "spread out, we don’t want any protest here!!". A human rights activist replied him saying "We are just tourists!!" At that time, a photographer was shooting the armed forces surrounding the protestors in secret and quickly using his digital camera.

After discussions, the armed forces walked out of the square and the security status in the square returned back to its usual condition except the presence of at least three secret agents taking comments about the situation. Later on, the protestors found out that the armed forces surrounded the district and were preventing anyone from entry. More activists started to reach the square. The newcomer activists managed to penetrate into the square.

At 5 p.m., the protestors lined up and marched toward the entrance of the district holding black flags representing the atrocity of the execution crime. At the entrance, the evacuated reporters and cameramen were waiting. When the protestors reached the entrance, they laid down in a suddenly and collectively.