Hizb Ut-Tahrir holds its rally to support Syria’s protesters

Hizb ut-Tahrir held its rally in the northern coastal city of Tripoli on Friday to support the anti-regime protests in Syria

The protesters left the Great Mansouri Mosque in Tripoli after Friday prayers and gathered in a square about one hundred meters from the mosque, amid tight security measures as the Lebanese army deployed throughout the rally route and the city’s main neighborhoods. They were “raising Islamic flags and chanting slogans in support of the Syrian people.”

Caretaker Prime Minister Saad Hariri met Thursday with Internal Security Forces chief Maj. Gen. Ashraf Rifi, Army commander Gen. Jean Qahwaji, Caretaker Interior Minister Ziad Baroud and ISF’s head of the intelligence bureau, Col. Wissam al-Hassan, to discuss the rally and warned that security forces would crack down on anyone who breached the ban.

They highlighted the importance of the firm implementation of a decision taken by the North branch of Lebanon Security Council to ban demonstrations in Tripoli.

Earlier this week, security authorities banned the party’s planned demonstration against the Syrian regime. The ban was lifted once the protest organizers agreed to change the venue. The initial venue was Nour Square, located 500 meters from the mosque in the city

Tripoli Mufti Sheikh Malek al-Shaar told Voice of Lebanon radio station that agreement has been reached for the rally to take place within the premises of al-Mansouri mosque.

“Let them express their opinion in a way that they don’t pose a challenge to other movements” in the city, he said. “There won’t be any clashes because everyone is aware that the security and stability of the country is a priority.” He said