UPDATE: Anti-Qaddafi protesters disbanded by Dubai police
DUBAI // A crowd began protesting outside the Libyan Consulate in Dubai at 10.45 this morning against ongoing violence in Libya.
Some 30 to 40 protesters gathered, shouting slogans like “The blood of our martyrs will not go wasted” and “Tell Muammar and his sons: Libya has men”.
By noon, the crowd had grown to 80. As more people gathered, Dubai Police turned them away. It remains unclear how long Dubai Police will allow the protest to continue.
• VIDEO: Libyans gather to protest in Dubai
• More on the Middle East unrest
At one point, protesters entered the Libyan embassy, removed a portrait of Muammar Gaddafi from the walls, took it outside and smashed it on the ground.
“We are here to support the people of Libya,” said Besher al Fitouri, 40, a student in Dubai School of Government. “We are calling on the UAE Foreign Ministry to officially condemn the action taken against the people of Libya.”
Libyan Yousef Omar, 23, a businessman from Benghazi, also took part in the protest. “The world cannot remain silent,” he said. “These human rights violations must be stopped.”
The chanting stopped at 11.45am as the men lined up together to offer prayers for Libya.
Emotions ran high once the prayers were over: one man collapsed sobbing, while another was seen sitting on the pavement crying.
wissa@thenational.ae
This story originally stated that a protest was being staged outside the Libyan Embassy in Dubai. In fact, it was the Libyan Consulate.
