Anti-regime and pro-regime protests for Syria held in downtown Beirut

A protest in support of the Syrian revolution and another in support of the Syrian regime were held on Saturday afternoon in Beirut, the National News Agency reported.

The protest in support of the Syrian revolution was held in Martyrs’ Square in Downtown Beirut, the report said, adding that protesters called for freedom and justice and chanted for overthrowing the Syrian regime.

National Struggle Front bloc MP Akram Chehayeb, March 14 General Secretariat Coordinator Fares Soueid, Deputy Head of the Future Movement Antoine Andraous as well as Lebanese activists and media figures attended the protest.

The NNA added that the protest in support of the Syrian regime was held in Al-Debbas Square in Downtown Beirut.

Syria has witnessed anti-regime protests since mid-March 2011. The United Nations estimated that more than 8,000 people have been killed in the regime’s crackdown on dissent.

Lebanon’s political scene is split between supporters of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s regime, led by Hezbollah, and the pro-Western March 14 camp.

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