Alexandra Sandels of the Los Angeles Times reports:
For the second week in a row, Lebanese took to the streets of Beirut on Sunday to protest against the country’s sectarian political system, waving Lebanese flags and chanting Egypt- and Tunisia-inspired slogans such as “People want to topple the regime” and “Revolution.”
Some demonstrators carried signs saying “For the good of the country: secular democracy” and “We are all equal” while others had written “No to sectarianism” on their foreheads and wrapped their heads in the flag.
Sunday’s demonstration suggested that activist calls for political change in Lebanon were gaining some ground because crowds were significantly larger than at last weekend’s rally, which was attended by hundreds.
Thousands of people of all ages marched from Beirut’s Daoura area to the city’s electricity ministry, where riot police and military were out in force. Upon arrival there protesters sang the national anthem and called for the toppling of the current government system.
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Lebanon is governed by a complicated and delicate power-sharing agreement, based on political confessionalism that aims to maintain a balance between the country’s 18 religious sects. The agreement has been blamed by many as being the cause of serious problems and issues this volatile Mediterranean country has witnessed over the years, including civil war, corruption and cronyism.
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None of the Lebanese political coalitions were apparently spared criticism at Sunday’s demonstration. The video above, said to have been recorded at Sunday’s demonstration, shows protesters denouncing both of Lebanon’s two rival political camps, known as the pro-Western March 14 alliance, led by Saad Hariri, and the Hezbollah-led March 8 coalition.
