DEARBORN, Michigan – Hundreds of people gathered on the steps of Dearborn City Hall on Sunday afternoon in a “show of solidarity” with protests happening in Bahrain, Yemen, and Libya. The “free speech zone” at Dearborn City Hall has been utilized for a number of protests in recent months, and the big snow storm on Sunday afternoon didn’t stop a large crowd from showing up yesterday. People held signs, waved flags and chanted messages about freedom.
“Stop the killing in Libya,” read one sign. Another said: “Demonstrators of Libya, we are with you.” Many people were chanting “Down, Down Gaddafi (the Libyan ruler).” The rally was organized to show support for pro-democracy demonstrators in Bahrain, Yemen and Libya. Abdulgalil Ahmed, of Dearborn helped organize the event and was there with his wife, Ibtisam Ahmed, and their five children.
According to various news reports, the rulers of Bahrain, and Libya have been using live ammunition and even military aircraft to kill their own people in efforts to suppress recent protests in those countries.
Other signs read: “Massacres of Libyans must stop now!”, “Yes to Freedom”, and “Bahraini people we are with you”.
A large group of Yemeni protesters also joined the rally. They carried signs proclaiming “People want to overthrow the regime” and “Yes for Democracy”.
Secretary of State, Hillary Rodham Clinton condemned the violence against anti-government protesters today and called on the government of Moammar Gadhafi to “stop this unacceptable bloodshed.”
I like Gaddafi. I hope he stays around and he wears cool looking stuff.