SYRIA: Many anti-Assad activists prefer to keep their identity hidden but their thoughts and aspirations are expressed in banners displayed during protests

Record ID: 280153

  • Title: SYRIA: Many anti-Assad activists prefer to keep their identity hidden but their thoughts and aspirations are expressed in banners displayed during protests
  • Date: 19th January 2012
  • Summary: ZABADANI, SYRIA (RECENT) (AMATEUR VIDEO OBTAINED BY REUTERS) WOMAN ACTIVIST IN ZABADANI PREPARING TO SEW BANNER WOMAN SEWING THE BANNER VARIOUS OF ANTI-ASSAD BANNER BEING SEWN (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) UNIDENTIFIED ACTIVIST SAYING (ACTIVIST'S HANDS SHOWN ONLY) : "What did we say we would write? 'Speech after speech, more blood after blood, Syria wants freedom...Mr. Preside
  • Embargoed: 3rd February 2012 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Syrian Arab Republic
  • Country: Syria
  • Topics: Conflict,Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVAB4591QDNYG0Y7X3DB1RZ8DFKF
  • Story Text: Video obtained by Reuters on Wednesday (January 18, 2012) showed anti-Syrian President Bashar al-Assad activists in the Syrian hill town and rebel stronghold of Zabadani making banners and placards to use in their protests.
    Many activists in Syria prefer to remain anonymous for fear of being targeted by the country's security forces. But writing banners and placards is one way of expressing their protest.
    In Zabadani, a town of 40,000 people 30 km (19 miles) northwest of Damascus, women and men work together to sew and write the banners ahead of demonstrations.
    The amateur video shot recently shows a woman working on sewing machine making a banner and two men writing anti-Assad placards.
    One placard pokes fun at Assad's recent address in which he extolled the advantages of being an olive-producing country.
    ''Bashar thinks that as long as we have olives, we don't need freedom,'' reads the banner.
    Zabadani has seen regular big demonstrations demanding the removal of Assad. Most recently it was subject to a crackdown by government forces but on Tuesday (January 17) a senior opposition leader said Syrian troops fighting rebels in the town of Zabadani near Lebanon agreed to a ceasefire.
  • Copyright Holder: AMATEUR VIDEO (CAN SELL)
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2012. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
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