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Lebanese 'Day of Rage' Protesters Burn News Truck

   VOA News  25 January 2011
   Lebanese Sunni Muslim supporters of Lebanon's caretaker Prime Minister
   Saad al-Hariri burn a picture of Lebanese MP and former Prime Minister
   Najib Mikati during what they call "a day of anger" in Tripoli, 25 Jan
   2011

Photo: Reuters

   Lebanese Sunni Muslim supporters of Lebanon's caretaker Prime Minister
   Saad al-Hariri burn a picture of Lebanese MP and former Prime Minister
   Najib Mikati during what they call "a day of anger" in Tripoli, 25 Jan
   2011

   Violence  broke  out  Tuesday  in  northern  Lebanon  as  thousands of
   supporters  of  acting  Prime Minister Saad Hariri gathered in Tripoli
   for what they had called a peaceful "day of rage" protest.
   Demonstrators  attacked  a  truck  belonging  to  the  Al Jazeera news
   channel  and  set  it  on  fire.   Protesters also burned pictures of
   former  prime  minister Najib Mikati, a Hezbollah-backed candidate who
   is set to be nominated Tuesday to replace Mr. Hariri.
   Mr.  Mikati  appears to have the backing of 65 members of the 128-seat
   legislature,  after  the  Shi'ite  militant group and its allies threw
   their support behind him.
   On  Monday, Sunni lawmakers accused Hezbollah of carrying out a "coup"
   aimed  at  forcing  an  Iranian  form  of  religious government on the
   Lebanese people.
   The  development  comes  shortly  after  Mr.  Hariri  said he will not
   participate in any new government led by a Hezbollah-backed candidate.
   U.S.  State  Department  spokesman  P.J.  Crowley  said  Washington is
   monitoring  developments  in Beirut.  But Crowley added that a bigger
   role for Hezbollah could complicate diplomatic ties and impact ongoing
   U.S. aid.
   Some pro-Hariri demonstrators angry about the recent developments have
   used burning tires to block roads leading into and out of the capital,
   Beirut.
   Earlier  this  month,  Hezbollah  and  its  allies  resigned  from the
   coalition government of Prime Minister Hariri, causing it to collapse.
   The  resignations  followed  tensions over a U.N.-backed investigation
   into the 2005 assassination of former prime minister Rafiq Hariri, the
   father  of  the interim prime minister.  Media reports have indicated
   the  tribunal  will  indict  Hezbollah  members,  but the group denies
   having had a role in the attack.
   Hezbollah's  leader  said  Sunday  the  group  will seek a partnership
   government if its candidate wins a parliamentary majority.
   Hassan  Nasrallah  also  said  his  group does not want to exclude any
   political party from the next government's Cabinet.

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