AMMAN - Tens of thousands of protesters took to the streets across Syria on Friday demanding the removal of President Bashar al-Assad as fighting continued between loyalist forces and insurgents in the centre of the country, activists said. Footage taken by residents showed crowds chanting "Syria wants freedom" in the Khalidiya neighbourhood of Homs. Activists reported attacks on army roadblocks in the nearby town of Talbiseh and continued fighting between defectors and loyalist troops in the town of Rastan further north.