ALEXANDRIA - At least 100 people gathered on Sunday in the Egyptian city of Alexandria in solidarity with the Libyan people after witnesses said Libya's security forces shot anti-government protesters. The Egyptian and Libyan protesters in the northern port city marched towards the Libyan consulate, burning pictures of Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi and tearing copies of his "Green Book" which outlines his views on how countries should be governed. "I want a free Libya, down with Gaddafi," read the banner of a Libyan family who said they had fled to Alexandria from Libya to escape what they described as Gaddafi's unjust rule. Libya's unrest, the worst in Gaddafi's four decades in power, started out as a series of protests inspired by popular revolts in neighbouring Egypt and Tunisia, which led to the toppling of both countries' presidents. But Libya's protests were met with a fierce security crackdown. Witnesses in the eastern city of Benghazi said security forces had pulled back to a fortified compound in the centre of the town from where they were shooting at people returning from burying protesters killed on previous days. The death toll from four days of violence in Benghazi has passed 170, Human Rights Warch said on Sunday. "One Arab revolution against the powers that slaughter us," chanted some of the demonstrators in Egypt, while others chanted "Freedom for the Libyan people. Gaddafi is a killer of his people." An Alexandria-based group that said it was an alliance of Libyan youths said in a statement they were demonstrating against the violence that had taken place in Benghazi and listed various demands which included that Gaddafi step down. They also demanded the prosecution of those involved in the killings in Benghazi, release of all political prisoners in Libya, promotion of free speech and the establishment of a constitution. "I am participating in solidarity with all the Arab nations to bring down the oppressive and backward regimes that are controlling these nations and plundering their wealth," said Abdel Rahman Gohary, a 55-year-old lawyer in Alexandria. Hani Emeish, a 31-year-old Libyan lawyer, told Reuters: "I saw my compatriots die at the hands of mercenaries ... I am demanding Gaddafi's execution and freedom in Libya."
