Sydney: Emergency Libyan solidarity actions held

About 200 members of the Libyan community and supporters held an angry protest at Sydney's Town Hall on February 22 to condemn the brutal massacres against pro-democracy protesters carried out by the regime of Muammar Gaddafi. Protesters chanted "Down, down Gaddafi!" and (in Arabic) "The people's voice must be heard!"

The rally was told the death toll in the crackdown, which has included military airplanes attacking protesters, had killed at least 500 people and injured more than 3000.

It was announced that the Libyan embassy in Australia had broken with the regime over the killings. AlJazeer.net reported that day that Libyan diplomats in embassies the United States, the United Nations, the Arab League, Indonesia, Malaysia, India and Bangladesh, among others, had also either broken with the regime or resigned.

Speakers condemned Western countries that have armed the Libyan regime with the weapons now used against Libyan people and called for such support to stop.

Earlier that day in the Sydney suburb of Lakemba, a rally of about 100 people attended a protest called with five hours notice in support of the Libyan people.

AlJazeera.net said on February 22: "Witnesses in Tripoli told Al Jazeera on Tuesday that fighter jets had bombed portions of the city in fresh attacks. They said that 'mercenaries' were firing on civilians in the city.

"Residents of the Tajura neighbourhood, east of Tripoli, said that dead bodies are still lying on the streets from earlier violence. At least 61 people were killed in the capital on Monday, witnesses told Al Jazeeera.

"'What we are witnessing today is unimaginable. Warplanes and helicopters are indiscriminately bombing one area after another. There are many, many dead,' Adel Mohamed Saleh said in a live broadcast.

"'Anyone who moves, even if they are in their car, they will hit you.'"

More photos of Sydney solidarity rally taken by Pip Hinman: