Syria: A Year On, From Beirut With Love

This post is part of our special coverage Syria Protests 2011/12.

On 15 March, 2012, the Syrian revolution marked its first anniversary with increasing determination that marked its beginning. On this day many activists around the world rallied at the Global March Against the Syrian Dictator while protests were arranged in many cities around the world supporting the Syrian cause.

Lebanon, Syria's neighbour, and its capital Beirut, were not away from all what was happening despite the difficulties in freedom of expression lately. There, activists faced this challenge and decided to do something different. Beirut Walls [ar] explains the activists stance in Lebanon in the blog post entitled “The Syrian revolution after a year, from Beirut with love”:

منذ عام والشعب السوري يصرخ “الموت ولا المذلة”، “حرية حرية حرية”. قتل منهم ما يفوق الثمانية ألف شهيد واعتقل الآلاف ودمرت البيوت واغتصبت النساء… منذ عام ونحن في بيروت نحترق أمام المشاهد ونتخبط في حيرتنا عمّا بوسعنا ان نفعله. كيف نتضامن مع شعب يقتل لأنه يريد اسقاط نظام قمعه لمدة عقود؟ كيف نعبر عن تأييدنا وبيروت يملؤها شبيحة من الطراز البعثي والقومي والميليشيوي؟

منذ عام وبعضنا من أفراد وناشطين مستقلين نحاول ان نشارك من بيروت في ثورة سوريا. نعتصم هنا، نكتب هناك، نعرض أفلاماً، نيأس ثم نعود نرفض ان يطالنا القمع فنهرع الى جدران المدينة. كانت الجدران الحيز الحر الذي وجدنا فيه مكاننا للتعبير

For a year, the Syrian people have been chanting “Death rather than living in humiliation” and “Freedom Freedom Freedom”. More than 8,000 people have been murdered, and thousands of people have been detained, homes destroyed and women raped. A year has passed and we are on fire in Beirut watching what's happening in confusion not knowing what to do. How can we be in solidarity with people being murdered and whose only crime is their determination to take down a regime that has been repressing them for decades? How can we express our support and Beirut is full of thugs from different Baath, Ultra-National and Militant backgrounds?
Beirut Walls: To the Syrian revolution with love, used under CC.

Beirut Walls: To the Syrian revolution with love, used under CC.

Despite this, netizens and activist Twitter users announced their support for the Syrian revolution. @abirsasso [ar], from Beirut, tweeted:

عام والسوريون يبدعون بشعاراتهم. “الممانعة مو مانعة غير حريتنا” من المفضلات لدي، مكتوبة على جدران بيروت ‎‬#1YearAgo‪
A year passed and Syrian revolutionaries prove their creativity in their chants. My favorite one is “Resistance (to US/West) is only against our freedom”. It is written on Beirut walls. #1YearAgo

While @taniaelk said:

Early this morning, on the 1st anniversary of the revolution in #Syria Beiruti activists sent a message of solidarity.

@NadineBek [ar] also assured the Lebanese solidarity with the Syrian revolution saying:

رسائل من بيروت الى أحرار سوريا good morning Syria #Syria‪‏ ‎‬#banner‪‏ ‎‬#beirut‪‏ ‎‬#March15‪‏ صباح الثورة
Messages from Beirut to Syria's free people. Good morning Syria, good morning revolution!

Activists in Beirut found another way to announce their solidarity with the Syrian people, by drawing graffiti and putting posters on walkways and bridges. They also wrote and distributed slogans in the memory of the Syrian revolution.

Beirut Walls also wrote about the revolution morning [ar] including a video entitled: “From Beirut with love”:

لأن تضامن الشعوب والأفراد أقوى وأهم من تصريحات ومواقف الأنظمة وزعماء الطوائف والأحزاب، أردنا ان نعبّر عن تأييدنا لثورة الشعب السوري. في أولى ساعات الصباح في يوم 15 آذار وبعيداً عن أعين السلطات اللبنانية المختلفة، قمنا بعملية نشر هذه “الرسائل” من بيروت الى أحرار سوريا.
Because the people's and individuals’ solidarity is stronger and more important than official statements and the stance of politicians and sect and parties heads, we wanted to express our support to the Syrian revolution. In the early hours of 15 March, and away from the different Lebanese official eyes, we were to spread these “messages” from Beirut to Syria's free people.

This post is part of our special coverage Syria Protests 2011/12.

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