EGYPT: Hundreds of demonstrators rally in front of the Syrian embassy in Cairo, calling for President Bashar al-Assad's resignation

Record ID: 276217

  • Title: EGYPT: Hundreds of demonstrators rally in front of the Syrian embassy in Cairo, calling for President Bashar al-Assad's resignation
  • Date: 27th April 2011
  • Summary: CAIRO, EGYPT (APRIL 26, 2011) (REUTERS) WIDE OF PROTESTERS IN FRONT OF SYRIAN EMBASSY IN CAIRO CLOSE OF PROTESTERS CHANTING: "TRAITORS" NAME PLATE OUTSIDE SYRIAN EMBASSY READING: "EMBASSY OF THE SYRIAN REPUBLIC" WITH PROTESTER HANGING PICTURE OF MARTYR BESIDE IT WIDE OF DEMONSTRATORS CHANTING "HIGHER THE VOICES" CLOSE OF SIGN READING: "BASHAR AL-ASSAD WE DON'T LOVE Y
  • Embargoed: 12th May 2011 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Egypt, Egypt
  • Country: Egypt
  • Topics: International Relations
  • Reuters ID: LVA9ODJSLA9LZAKJQJEBHGWNF0KE
  • Story Text: Around 500 demonstrators gathered in front of the Syrian embassy in Cairo Tuesday (April 26), demanding Bashar al-Assad's resignation.
    The protest was comprised mostly of Syrians who showed up to stand and fight for their Syrian brothers, and Egyptians also joined in solidarity. The Syrian flag was seen aloft alongside signs and banners demanding Assad to stop the bloodshed and resign. Shortly after demonstrators gathered -- and in an attempt to drown out their chants -- a sudden boom of music echoed from inside the walls of the embassy.
    As the music got louder, a wave of outcry erupted from demonstrators outside who encouraged others to raise their voices, calling the Syrians inside "traitors".
    Protesters who had gathered for a peaceful demonstration then connected their megaphones to a large speaker, and took turns chanting with all their might "God is great" and "Syria will be free".
    Syrian Hazem Hakim told Reuters that Bashar must step down and stop the bloodshed that he has brought upon his people.
    "We are here just like to tell Bashar al-Assad either step down, stop the bloodshed, stop it. Everybody's dying in there, either step down, let us take control, let the people live, make people free," he said.
    Many of the protesters refused to speak in front of a camera or give their names in fear for the safety of their families who currently reside in Syria.
    One protester who has been banished from Syria for the last 30 years requested he remain anonymous but condemned Bashar's regime along with his father as the worst in the world.
    "Bashar El-Assad, him and his father are the biggest traitors in the world, they have the worst system [of government] on the entire planet and the dirtiest system on the entire planet," he said.
    Throughout the demonstration, the music went on and rowdy demonstrators attempted to break through the gates of the embassy. Others chanted "peacefully" and a small group of riot police were then seen walking towards the protesters who had by then returned to their peaceful chants.
    Rola Ghazi, another Syrian protester was shocked when the massacres started, saying that this bloodshed didn't happen in any other Arab country.
    "When the massacres began we were dumbfounded, honestly. Honestly what is happening in Syria didn't happen in Yemen, or in Egypt or in any Arab country. May God be with the Syrian people, help and support them," she said.
    The embassy continued to ignore the protesters and seemed to have no such intention of addressing them.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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