Eyewitness: Lebanon protests (BBC News) - 02/03/2005

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4308217.stm

Thousands of Lebanese protesters have thronged the streets of Beirut in the past few days, demanding the withdrawal of Syrian troops from the country after the killing of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, and the resignation of the government.
The BBC News website spoke to three demonstrators about what they witnessed during the protests and why they attended.
Here are their stories. 

WALID ACHKAR, 30, BANKER

I went down to the protests in Martyrs' Square with my friends and family.

Some people told me they had walked about 30km just to attend the demonstration - it took them 12 hours to get there

Each day, there were different teams of protesters. If some were tired and went home to rest, others came back and relieved those who stayed.
You saw people from all over Lebanon. I met a group from a small village near the Syrian border who had come down to participate.
On Monday I was right inside the demonstrations in Martyrs' Square in downtown Beirut.
The army had put barricades around the square, and stopped cars and people from entering the area, but when people came they just stepped over the barriers, leaving their cars.
Some people told me they had walked about 30km just to attend the demonstration - it had taken them about 12 hours to get there.
At one point, some children took flowers in their hands and gave them to the Lebanese army. The army was not against the people at all - many of us have cousins in the army, so the soldiers were kind to us.
That evening, we were watching these two giant television screens which showed what was happening in parliament, when suddenly the prime minister requested to speak and announced he was resigning.
From that moment, I cannot express how it was in the square. Flags waved, there were huge celebrations from all the people, many of whom were chanting "Freedom!" and "Sovereignty!"
It has been a great feeling to see the protests, Lebanese people from all ages, all sects. You can see children only a few months old and 80-year-old grandmothers, along with boys and girls from all walks of life.
People are not afraid of what is happening, for the first time everyone is united against Syria.

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