My first protest in Beirut.

Flashback: Only few days ago I blogged about Graffiti in Beirut and the charges Semaan Khawam is facing.

However, the story behind this new blog post started late Friday night,

Networks reported that Two men were arrested at "Bechara El Khoury" Area for Spray Painting  a wall also known as Graffiti.

http://www.nowlebanon.com/NewsArticleDetails.aspx?ID=388255

Regardless of all laws around Lebanon and worldwide, laws that proclaim Graffiti as "Damaging" public property not to mention breaking a rule or two, we in Lebanon, got used to the Censored Freedom of Speech spreading lately and it was about time someone actually stands out for it.

By Beirut Pursuit (Blog)

To cut it short, till this instant I am not very sure of the Graffiti's content nor nature, yet I protested against their arrest yesterday because Freedom of Speech should be each one's concern, with or without Graffiti, Freedom of Speech is being Censored daily in Lebanon through:

Movies :

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=343596052354443&set=a.242712732442776.56621.194147200632663&type=3&theater

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=194340603946656&set=a.242712732442776.56621.194147200632663&type=3&theater

Documentaries: 

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=194153883965328&set=a.242712732442776.56621.194147200632663&type=3&permPage=1

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=241036642610385&set=a.242712732442776.56621.194147200632663&type=3&theater

Books:

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=194642490583134&set=a.242712732442776.56621.194147200632663&type=3&theater


Not to mention loads of other examples that would take a whole blog post to dive into.

Back to My First Protest in Beirut, sources mentioned that the Graffiti sprayed was a follow up to a movement which started under the title of  [ اسبوع غرافيتي الحريـّة سوريا | FREEDOM GRAFFiTi WEEK Syria ] and that the act was a response for it, while others mentioned that the Phrase sprayed was the following sentence: في منك 128 بمجلس النواب.  However that was not my concern. 


I never trusted a protest organised in Lebanon. The causes are always amazing, so perfect that they even make you wonder. Every protest has some sort of political background that I end up disagreeing with. However, last night's organised March/Protest made perfect sense to me, I believed in something. And for the very first time in Lebanon, I felt useful, I accomplished something. If only someone captured the smile on my face when Ali and Khodor walked out of that police station. They are people who's writings interest me, we are not best friends and we were not raised together, we just share a thing in common: Courage that is.

I now leave you with some photos taken yesterday; because a picture is worth a thousand words. 

 I got to Verdun with a friend not knowing if the Protest will succeed or not.

 Everyone was chanting and soon enough I got carried away and raised my voice

 We waited for almost an hour, PM Mikati was insisting Via Twitter that the guys are on their way out, and I was replying to him that they are NOT. [ I think I'm on his black list now]

 Soon enough, Khodor and Ali were released.

 The Car made it's way through the crowd of friends and supporters.

 Celebrating one true victory, Freedom.

And I shall leave the rest for him to say.