Hundreds of Syrian and Egyptian youth protested on Monday outside the Syrian Embassy in Cairo to denounce what they described as crimes committed by Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's regime against peaceful pro-democracy protesters. The protesters demanded that Assad step down and called on Youssef Ahmad, the Syrian ambassador in Cairo, to join the "revolution." Assad is facing the most violent protests against his rule since it began in 2000. The demonstrations have led to the death of some 500 people since the protests began nearly 45 days ago in the city of Daraa, which is located in the south of Syria. The wave of protests inspired by the Tunisian and Egyptian revolutions spread from Daraa to several other provinces, most notably Latakia, the Assad family's hometown, which has ruled Syria since 1970. However, protests have yet to be held in Syria's two largest cities, namely the capital of Damascus and the industrial center of Aleppo. The nearly 200 protesters carried banners outside the Syrian embassy that read “Leave, leave Bashar of Syria… where men are free,” “God… Syria... freedom and nothing else,” and “Bashar, the vile murderer of his people.” The protesters also chanted slogans condemning crimes committed by the Syrian regime against the Syrian people. Protesters sang the Syrian national anthem. Police presence was beefed up around the embassy to prevent clashes between the protesters and embassy staff. A number of protesters told Al-Masry Al-Youm that they came to denounce the killing of innocent Syrians demanding change and freedom, and stressed that Assad should face the same fate as ousted Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and Tunisian President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali. Translated the Arabic Edition
