Dubai: Hundreds of Syrian expatriates staged a peaceful demonstration against their embattled president Bashar Al Assad in Bur Dubai's Al Hamriya area on Friday.
Just after the Friday prayers, the high-pitch protest that began near a mosque turned into a rally of protesters who marched through the residential area and reached the Consulate area. The crowd soon swelled to hundreds as women, children and teenagers joined the protest yards away from the Syrian consulate building.
"Down, Down Bashar'', Go, Bashar Go'' reverberated the residential neighbourhood as protesters waved Syrian flags and held placards. They also raised slogans in support of unity among Syrians.
"We are here to protest against Al Assad," said Mohammad, a protester who lives in Dubai. "We want to express solidarity with our brothers who are fighting the Syrian regime," he added.
Police in riot gear
Security personnel in police uniform and riot gear watched calmly and formed a protective ring near the consulate building. "We wanted to protest in front of the consulate but we are not allowed," said Rayami, another protester.
Curious residents of the predominantly Asian neighbourhood watched and took pictures from balconies as protesters raised slogans in Arabic.
After an hour-long protest, the crowd dispersed peacefully without any intervention from the police. No speeches were made during the protest.
Friday's protest is the second such demonstration in Dubai since the uprising against Al Assad regime first began months ago. The protest came a day after over a hundred civilians were killed in the Syrian beseiged city of Homs
