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Lebanon celebrated Friday, November 22, the 76th anniversary of its independence. A celebration marked by the popular movement that has been going on for more than a month.
The hour was at the party on Friday night in downtown Beirut where the celebrations of the national holiday continued. Thousands of people gathered at Riad el-Solh and Martyrs at the rhythm of music and fireworks, according to our correspondent Laure Stephan .
Around 6 pm, the demonstrators lit a candle symbolizing peace and independence. In the crowd, a retired couple confided their emotion of celebrating this national holiday for the first time in a popular way. They had never gone down to join the five-week protest movement.
The movement had called for a large civil parade to which various professions joined. This walk will remain as the highlight of the day. The traditional military parade held every year in downtown Beirut, occupied for more than a month by the protesters, has been canceled. Instead, politicians attended a symbolic parade in a barracks in the eastern suburbs of the capital, says our correspondent Paul Khalifeh .
The national anthem echoed throughout the day. " This is not a moment of claim, but a moment of celebration, " explained a student, nevertheless determined to continue the mobilization as the crisis worsens in the country.