Stories about Protest from March, 2011
Libya: Citizen Reporting from the Battlefield
Videos continue to seep out from war-torn Libya as protesters battle Colonel Muammar Gaddafi's forces in a bid to overthrow his 42-year-old regime. Here is a selection of the latest videos taken by netizens on the frontlines of major cities where the battle for Libya is still fought.
Algeria: “Facebookers’ Rally” Commemorating the Anniversary of Cease-fire Prohibited
A rally instigated by anonymous Facebook users [ fr] to commemorate the 49th anniversary of the March 19, 1962 cease-fire in Algeria did not take place. The demonstration calling for “an end to the dictatorial system in place for almost 50 years” was initially planned to occur in front of...
Côte d'Ivoire: Where Are the African Personalities When They Are Needed?
A few months ago, Marième Jamme asked Bono and Bob Geldof to take less prominent roles as speakers for Africa in the media and leave space for Africans to speak for themselves. Today on the Africa Rising blog, bloggers wonder where have the African personalities gone when they are actually needed to get the world's...
Russia: Voina Art Collective
At OpenDemocracy.net, writes about the Voina art collective (RUS: @free_voina; ENG: @free_voina_en) and “explains how their controversial methods have made it difficult to mobilise support.” Kevin Rothrock (@agoodtreaty) re-posts a video of Voina‘s recent prank action (1,178,969 views, 3,023 likes, 658 dislikes): “unwelcomely, without warning kiss female cops on candid...
Jordan: One Death and Some Loss of Hope
Friday night marked the violent defeat of protests that began on March 24 (#March24) in Amman, Jordan. By the end of Friday, one man had died, Khairi Jameel AlSaad, 55, and more than 100 were injured.
Syria: Egyptian-American Tweep Accused of Spying
Egyptian-American Twitter user Muhammed Radwan (@battuta) was arrested in Syria and paraded on Syrian Television as a spy who is accused of allegedly visiting "Israel in secret and confessed to receiving money from abroad in exchange for sending photos and videos about Syria." His arrest is expected to unleash the wrath of the Egyptian cyberspace against the Assad regime.
Argentina: 35 Years After the Coup d'état
35 years after the coup d'état in Argentina, on March 24, 1976, various activities took place across the country. Argentinean bloggers reacted to the fact that the day is now a national holiday, and shared their thoughts and feelings about what the day means for the country.
Iran: Syrians Protest “Neither Iran Nor Hezbollah!”
Several Iranian bloggers react to the slogan of Syrian protesters during Wednesday's march where people chanted “Neither Iran, nor Hezbollah!” Syria is an ally of Iran and is also friendly with the militant group Hezbollah in Lebanon.
Sudan: “Because I am a free Sudanese, I will go out and say no”
On March 21, 2011 Sudan's Youth Moment day was born. Youths from universities across Sudan linked and shared information on Facebook and Twitter as a way of setting up a new stage for a new round of protests against the government of Omar al-Bashir.
Syria: Protesters Demolish Symbols of Regime
In Syria, the faces of President Bashar al-Assad and his father, former President Hafez al-Assad, are regularly seen on billboards, buildings, and in the form of statues. Visitors to the country are often surprised by the prevalence of such images, while Syrians have grown used to them as a daily feature of life. Yesterday, a number of videos surfaced in which protesters tear down the symbols of the regime: posters and statues of the ruling family.
Libya: Gaddafi's Crimes Mount in Misrata
Amid the stories of destruction and the mounting death toll, Libyan netizens are waking up this morning to news of a liberated Zintan and the pushing back of Gaddafi's forces from Ajdabiya. Meanwhile, the world continues to watch as more evidence of horror and atrocities come out from Misrata, which was continuously pounded throughout the night by Gaddafi's forces.
Libya: Is Khamis Gaddafi Really Dead?
Rumours have been circulating online and in mainstream media for about two weeks that Khamis Al Gaddafi, son of Muammar Gaddafi, has been killed. Tonight, the rumours are making the rounds again, with a new twist. They say the 27-year-old militia leader, who runs a brigade which carries his name, was killed during an air raid on Bab Al Aziziya Compound, where the Gaddafis reside in Tripoli. Unconfirmed reports add that his brother Muattasim was killed by Gaddafi for 'refusing to follow' orders.
Egypt: The Constitutional Amendments
About one month after the fall of Hosni Mubarak, Egyptians went to vote on constitutional amendments, on Saturday, March 19. The referendum is on a group of articles in the constitution that discuss the Presidency and Parliamentary elections and the requirements for candidates. Here, new and old voters alike share their stories.
Syria: ‘Friday of Dignity’ Protests Erupt Countrywide
Massive protests broke in several cities in Syria today in response to calls for a “Friday of Dignity” after a brutal governmental crackdown left dozens of protesters dead in the Southern city of Daraa and nearby villages. Videos emerging from across Syria show enormous protests in multiple cities.
Bahrain: A Friday of Rage Dispersed with Tear Gas
Protesters around Bahrain defied a gatherings law and turned out in masses for rallies around the kingdom dubbed as The Friday of Rage. Protesters were attacked by tear gas - and some say rubber bullets. Here's a round up of reactions from social networking sites.
Yemen: Crowds Call for Saleh to Step Down in Sanaa
Thousands of protesters have gathered in Change Square, in the Yemeni capital Sanaa, to call on President Ali Abdulla Saleh to step down. The protests are going strong in what is being described as The Friday of Departure and the army has reportedly fired gunshots in the air to stop pro-regime protesters from clashing with pro-democracy demonstrators. Here are some reactions from Twitter.
Jordan: #March24 Protest Camp in Amman
Hundreds of pro-democracy Jordanians, mostly students and young people, gathered to protest at the Dakhliyeh Circle (Ministry of Interior Circle) in Amman on March 24, 2011. Demands from the protestors included the dissolution of parliament, a new representative election law, the dismantling of the General Intelligence Department, and the removal of Prime Minister Marouf Al Bakhit.
Ukraine: Myroslava Gongadze on Media Freedom
Viktor Kovalenko writes about the views of Myroslava Gongadze – who is the widow of the slain Ukrainian journalist Georgiy Gongadze – on the freedom of the press and other issues in Ukraine.
El Salvador: Citizen Reactions to Obama's Visit
The visit of the President of the United States, Barack Obama, has sparked comments in favor and against his trip among Salvadoreans. The visit has also stirred up a heated debate on the Salvadoran blogosphere.
Gabon: Citizen Web Documentary Wins Award
Website Web Docu [fr] has announced that the citizen web documentary Gabon : violences d'un coup d'état électoral [fr] (Gabon: The violence of an electoral coup) has won the award for best web-politics documentary at the Web TV-Festival 2011 [fr]. The documentary was produced in 2009 during the post-electoral turmoil that...
Côte d'Ivoire: Laurent Gbagbo Facebook Fan Page Deleted
Claudus Kouadio revealed in a blog post [fr] on March 23, 2011, that the Facebook fan page of Laurent Gbagbo – the incumbent Côte d'Ivoire president who refuses to step down after losing the 2010 presidential election – has been deleted. The memory cache of the page on the social networking...
