BEIRUT, Feb 21 (AFP) - A sea of people swarmed on Monday to Martyrs' Square in downtown Beirut, chanting "Syria out" while vowing to pursue street protests until the killers of former prime minister Rafiq Hariri are found.
"The bells of liberation have tolled," shouted young protestors clinging to the bronze statue of martyrs towering over more than 100,000 people on the square where Hariri was buried.
Sporting scarves in the national red-and-white around their necks, the crowd vowed to maintain what the opposition called its "peaceful uprising for independence" from Syrian domination and military presence.
"Freedom, sovereignty and independence," demonstrators chanted in unison, waving red placards with the day's slogan, "Independence 2005."
The protestors had earlier gathered at the site of the bombing where they shouted insults at Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
It was the largest street protest against Syria's military presence and political domination since Damascus first sent troops into Lebanon a year after the outbreak of the country's 1975-1990 civil war.
Lebanon's opposition blames the Syrian-backed government and Syria for the massive bomb blast that ripped through Hariri's motorcade, killing him and 17 other people.
"Get away from here, enough killings and blood", said one placard.
"Kamal, Bashir, Hassan, Rene, Rafiq... enough," said another, listing the names of slain leaders Kamal Jumblatt, Bashir Gemayel, Sheikh Hassan Khaled and Rene Muawad.
"Hey Syria, who's next?" read one banner.
Security was tight, with riot police and soldiers out in force albeit escorting the protestors in a friendly manner and accepting flowers. No unrest was reported.
On the seafront, where the bomb exploded, demonstrators led by opposition lawmakers fell silent to mark the moment of the blast last week at 1055 GMT before singing the national anthem.
They then opened their palms to read the Fatiha, the first verse from the Koran, followed by the Christian Lord's prayer before marching toward Hariri's tomb on Martyrs' Square.
"Syria out," echoed across the streets winding up the hill leading to the square, with residents throwing rice and ululating from balconies.
Loud applause rang out when someone shouted into a loud speaker that "the parliament session has been annulled," in reference to the opposition's success in winning an agreement for a debate that could see a vote of no-confidence in the government.
02/21/2005 16:25 GMT - AFP