Hundreds of thousands of flag-waving protesters flooded central Beirut today after a call by the Hezbollah-led opposition to step up their 10-day campaign to topple Lebanon's Western-backed government.
In a huge show of force, the chanting crowds swamped two squares in the heart of the capital and rivers of men, women and children poured through surrounding streets demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Fouad Siniora. "Siniora out," demonstrators shouted.
"Beirut is free," others yelled as possibly the biggest rally in Lebanon's history kicked off in bright sunshine. Giant loudspeakers blared out nationalist songs and drummers thudded a relentless beat. The noise was clearly audible inside the nearby government headquarters where Mr Siniora and most of his ministers are holed up.
Armoured vehicles, rings of razor wire and hundreds of security forces guarded the former Ottoman fortress. Opposition activists have paralysed the centre since December 1st in a round-the-clock protest aimed at forcing Siniora and his Sunni-backed majority to form a government of national unity.
There were no official estimates of the crowd size today but one security source said it was the largest such gathering ever seen in Lebanon.
Opposition sources said the crowd was 2 million strong - roughly half Lebanon's population. Speakers told the throngs that the government was in the thrall of the United States, repeating accusations that Siniora's allies had hoped Israel would crush the Shia militant group Hezbollah in its recent war with Israel.
"I tell you that after the (Israeli) aggression ... there is no place for America in Lebanon," said Hezbollah deputy chief Sheikh Naim Kassem, speaking behind bullet proof-glass. The crowd responded: "Death to America, death to Israel, long live a dignified Lebanon."