BEIRUT, Lebanon – Hundreds of thousands of Lebanese turned the funeral Thursday for a slain Christian government minister into a massive demonstration of anger against Syria and its allies.
The sprawling funeral for Pierre Gemayel reinvigorated supporters of the U.S.-backed government in a power struggle with Syrian-backed Hezbollah and its allies threatening to split this small Mideast nation along sectarian lines. Police estimated some 800,000 people participated in the rally and funeral.
“The second independence uprising was launched today for change and it will not stop,” Gemayel’s father, former President Amin Gemayel, told the crowd in downtown Beirut, speaking from behind a panel of bulletproof glass. “I pledge to you that we will soon take steps so that your efforts will not go in vain.”
The crowd poured out their anger at neighboring Syria, which dominated Lebanon for 29 years until it was forced to pull its troops out last year in the wake of the assassination of another anti-Syrian politician, former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. Many blame Syria for the killings of Hariri, Gemayel and other anti-Syrian figures, but Damascus denies the charges.
In the wake of Gemayel’s slaying, Lebanon is polarized to a degree not seen since Lebanon’s 1975-90 civil war, sharply divided between anti-Syrian Christians and Sunni Muslims and pro-Syrian Shiites. Many fear Thursday’s funeral could be the first round of demonstrations that could bring the political crisis into the volatile streets.
Many in the crowd burned pictures of Syria’s president and Lebanon’s pro-Syrian leaders.
Several of the politicians speaking in the square vowed the next step would be the removal of President Emile Lahoud, a staunch Syria supporter.
Anger was also directed at Hezbollah, which had been calling for mass protests of its own in an effort to topple Prime Minister Fuad Saniora’s anti-Syrian government. After Gemayel’s killing, the guerrilla group said it would not hold demonstrations for the time being – but it will likely feel the need to respond with its own show of strength after Thursday’s funeral.
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