Libya: #OccupyTripoli Protests Against Carrying Weapons  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Libyans took to the streets of the capital Tripoli today, to demonstrate against carrying weapons. They gathered at the famous Martyr's Square, formerly known as Green Square. Many Twitter users were on hand to provide live coverage of the event dubbed #OccupyTripoli.
A banner from the event's Facebook page which reads: Tripoli welcomes you – without your weapons
And like many “events” held this year across the Arab world, today's rally, which continues until 11.30pm Tripoli time, is being organised as a Facebook event [ar]. The page says that the gathering, being held under the patronage of the Tripoli Local Council, is to express people's anger at the presence of arms and armed men from outside the city of Tripoli.
On Twitter, Adam shares this picture from the demonstration:
@4Adam: Demonstration in Martyrs’ Square in #Tripoli against carrying weapons. December 7, 2011 #Libya
A protester carrying a sign which reads: Dear Revolutionary, Thank your for leaving your weapon behind and carrying a book. Photo Credit: @4Adam on Twitter
Assia Bashir Amry, a Libyan who lives in the US, quips:
@Libyan4life: #OccupyTripoli is historical in itself. NEVER under #Gaddafi could that many people congregate to voice their opinion. #Libya #Feb17
Ismael Zmirli adds:
@ChaingeInLibya: My mother never went to martyr's square b4, today she called me from #OccupyTripoli – it's time for reconciliation, disarmament & natl army
And the Tripolitanian expresses his surprise at the size of the gathering:
@Tripolitanian: The size of the #OccupyTripoli protest is bigger than I thought; http://pic.twitter.com/vD1IRIkb #Libya
A huge crowd turned out to protest against carrying weapons. Photo credit: Aziz Belhaj from Twitter
Many Libyan Twitter users also found the following placard carried to the protests to be funny.
A funny poster held at today's rally which instructs revolutionaries to drop their weapons and resume their everyday lives. Photo credit: @Alaref from Twitter
Alaref Hassan writes [ar]:
According to @Libyan4Life, the poster reads:
Your mom misses you and your father wants you GO HOME!!!! lol
And this is a call for armed men to give up their weapons and resume their daily lives.