Libya: Protesters take over parliament building in Tobruk

An extract from a video published by the House of Representatives during a session of parliament in Tobruk, February 10, 2022. AFP - -

Text by: RFI Follow

2 mins

Demonstrations took place on Friday in several cities to denounce the deterioration of living conditions and the political impasse.

In Tobruk, in the east of the country, demonstrators took over the seat of parliament and set it on fire.

As a sign of anger towards the two rival governments, which have made life unbearable, according to witnesses.

This mobilization comes as Libya has been plagued by power cuts for several days, which is aggravating the situation.

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We want to have light 

" chanted demonstrators in Tripoli under the watchful eye of the security forces.

In Tobruk, they ransacked the seat of parliament and burned down part of the building.

Other protesters waved green flags of Muammar Gaddafi's former regime.

All day Friday, anger gripped several cities in Libya.

This is the largest mobilization since 2011, the year of the revolution, which put an end to Gaddafi's regime.

And then as now, Libyans want change.

Like the Tobruk youth association.

On Twitter, they expressed their frustration with the status quo.

We came out in 2011 to fight injustice, poverty and hunger and to build a unified Libya.

We were then confronted with shadows that raged in the dark, with terrorism, and never found safety.

The parliament, the high council of state as well as the fictitious governments do not care about the lamentable state of the people.

For six years, they have been going back and forth, in Libya and abroad, to carry out dialogues which have come to nothing and which have not been useful for the people.

They really only care about their seats of power.

(...) We therefore demand the suspension of parliament and the high council of state, and all governments that have given nothing except division and dissension.

We then call to organize in the

Declaration of the young people of Tobruk

Houda Ibrahim

According to our information, some of the demonstrators are currently camping in front of the house of Aguila Saleh, the head of parliament, and the situation could change very quickly.

It should be remembered that two governments have been vying for power since March: one based in Tripoli and led by Abdelhamid Dbeibah since 2021 and another led by Fathi Bachagha and supported by the Tobruk parliament and Marshal Khalifa Haftar, the strongman from the east.

Presidential and legislative polls were to be held in December 2021 but have been postponed indefinitely due to strong differences between political rivals.

Quarrels between rival camps are also believed to be behind the blocking of several oil facilities that led to the current blackouts.

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  • Libya