Syria: No-Show for ‘Day of Anger’ · Global Voices
Betsy Fisher

This post is part of our special coverage Syria Protests 2011.
Speculation is rampant from international media that Syria may follow in spreading unrest from Tunisia and Egypt.  Internet groups had called for Syrians to join the region-wide protests in Egypt, Yemen and Jordan, on February 4th and 5th, 2011.  Today began with rumors that Syria had shut down internet, fueled by BBC and CNN reports.  In answering concerned tweets from around the world, Syrians indignantly replied that their internet was fully functional.  Mirar Roumeah tweeted:
internet is better than ever in #syria @syria!!! CNN is lying!!
Abdul Salam Haykal refuted numerous tweets reporting internet cutoffs:
False! @akhbaralarab: قطع الانترنت في سوريا بشكل كامل في يوم الغضب السوري http://bit.ly/ff5Ejs” #Syria cuts of Internet for day of Anger
By the end of the day, these protests had failed to materialize – but calls remain for ‘Day of Anger’ protests in February 5th.
Tweeters posted about the quietness on the streets.  AbdulSalam Haykal tweeted:
Just took a drive around town. As peaceful as Friday could be. No unusual security on the streets. Yet rainy & foggy. #Syria #Damascus #fb
Dona wrote:
Just went for another walk in Damascus.Nothing.Streets are empty even Rawda caffe is almost empty.protests are only on FB #Syria #feb5
And Sate Hamza tweeted:
@yazanbadran must be causing a “Day of Rage” in the homes of the FB organizers homes. Pathetic how much the media gave them coverage #Syria
Tweets and human rights groups reported that a small vigil supporting Egypt was violently dispersed by security forces.  Syria Revolution tweeted:
Peaceful demonstration happened today in Damascus #Syria dispersed violently by police in the section of Kassaa #Feb4 #Feb5.
Meer was disappointed that these events were not covered by media, which were too busy covering Egypt:
#AJEnglish and #Israeli media both covered #Egypt rallies and ignored events in #Syria. #Hama massacre #Feb5
This post is part of our special coverage Syria Protests 2011.