Inspired by the Egyptian and Tunisian revolutions, protesters in Lebanon are calling for their own anti-sectarian revolution, writes Lucy Fielder in Beirut As former Lebanese prime minister Saad Al-Hariri's 14 March Movement geared up for a show of strength to mark its sixth anniversary and Lebanon waited for squabbling politicians to form a new government, protesters thronged the streets of the Lebanese capital Beirut at the weekend to express disillusionment with the country's whole, tired system. "The people want to topple the regime," they shouted, waving banners protesting against Lebanon's all-pervading sectarianism. The numbers defied expectations, with between 8,000 and 10,000 people of all ages marching from the Dora intersection to the north of Beirut to the grim façade of the Electricité du Liban building, a money-wasting behemoth seen as the embodiment of the corruption that sectarianism in the country has encouraged. Such protests have stepped up over the past year, with a Laique Pride secularist march now planned for each April. But, galvanised by the revolutions in Egypt and Tunisia, this was believed to be the biggest march against sectarianism in Lebanon's history. Organisers hope it is only the beginning of an escalating campaign aiming to capitalise on regional revolutionary fervour and highlight the ways in which sectarianism in Lebanon interferes with daily life. "The sectarian regime is the main cause of corruption and bribes in this country, and this is what we want to get rid of," said Hashem Adnan, one of the activists who helped organise the protests. "These leaders have killed so many people through sectarian wars and fighting. We can change the system, if we have conviction." Many hope that the protests will lead to a third way and a space for expression outside the two camps that dominate Lebanon. Chants of "Neither 14 nor 8 (March)" were common on Sunday, in reference to the two political blocs that currently polarise society. The assassination of former Lebanese prime minister Rafik Al-Hariri, father of Saad, in 2005 pitched Lebanon into political crisis. Almost all Lebanese aligned themselves either behind the Sunni Al-Hariri Alliance or the 8 March Movement, which is led by the Shia political and military group Hizbullah, deepening sectarian affiliations and Sunni-Shia tensions. Both groups take their names from vast demonstrations held during that turbulent spring. Over recent days, a camp has been set up in west Beirut's Sanayeh Gardens, where young people try to attract more sympathisers to the anti-sectarian cause. The slogans, tactics and momentum of the movement, which claims to have many organisers but no leader, come from the revolutions seen in Egypt and Tunisia. "Lebanon, your turn has come," demonstrators chanted on Sunday, though many observers are not so sure. Many Lebanese support the country's system of allocating state jobs and political power according to sect. Christians and Druze in particular fear that their communities will lose clout, at the very least, under simple majority rule. Lebanese blogger and activist Ibrahim Arab said that given the high level of freedom in Lebanon compared to other Arab countries, bloggers there faced
