BEIRUT: Around 800 protesters met in Martyrs Square Monday night to demonstrate against the government of Syrian President Bashar Assad, and a large police presence helped contain smaller rival pro-Assad demonstrations which broke later in the evening.
The biggest of all the demonstrations in support of the popular Syrian uprising so far, Lebanese activists met at 9 p.m in the center of Beirut to show their solidarity with the Syrian people.

The protest was largely peaceful, with demonstrators shouting, “Syria wants freedom,” “Anyone who kills his people is a murderer and a coward,” and “the people want an end to the regime.”
Several protesters have been active since the Syrian movement began in March, and were cautious of giving their names or showing their faces, after a protest outside the Syrian Embassy in Hamra last week turned violent when pro-Assad supporters arrived and started attacking the protesters. Five anti-Assad activists ended up in hospital with broken bones.

One activist on Monday, who did not want to be named, said “I’m a bit cautious about being here today after what happened last week. But we have to keep up the protests to show our support. We have to keep organizing more like this.”

Another protester, who also did not want to be named, said “I think it’s important that we show the Syrian regime that killing people is not going to work. And we have to show the Syrian people that they have our support. Unfortunately I don’t see the Syrian regime falling until at least the end of Ramadan, maybe not even before winter.”

He said he was skeptical that increased international pressure on Syria would help topple the government. “The regime has to understand for itself that it’s only option is to stand down.”

Marwan, who described himself as a secular activist, said that when Lebanon chose last week to disassociate itself from a U.N. Security Council statement condemning violence in Syria he was ashamed of his government.
“Showing up tonight is the very minimum that we can do. The Syrian regime has shown inexplicable cruelty and we can’t stand by and watch that. We have to support the courage of the Syrian people.”

Around 100 riot police were in attendance at the protest, and formed a line between the rival camps when around 50 pro-Assad supporters, chanting in support of the Syrian president and carrying posters bearing his image, turned up later in the evening.

The anti-Assad vigil had been called for by a group of “Lebanese intellectuals” on Facebook.