Syrian protesters torch buildings, cars

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By The Associated Press, cbc.ca, Updated: March 20, 2011 6:20 PM

Syrian protesters torch buildings, cars

Thousands of Syrians rallied Sunday for a third consecutive day in a tense

southern city where security forces have killed at least five protesters.

Reports say protesters in the city of Daraa have set fire to the justice

building, the offices of two cellphone carriers and torched several cars on

Sunday.

The witness in Daraa told The Associated Press by telephone that protesters were

angry about the shooting Friday and mass arrests after the demonstrations

calling for political freedoms in one of the region's most repressive countries.

They demanded officials involved in the violence be fired.

An activist in Damascus who is in close contact with Daraa residents said

protesters were particularly incensed at a delegation from President Bashar

Assad that came to offer condolences to the families of the dead. Another

Damascus activist said police fired tear gas, rubber bullets and live

ammunition, killing one person. He said more than 200 people suffered from gas

inhalation and were treated at a nearby mosque that has been transformed into a

field hospital.

Neither the witnesses nor the activists would allow their names to be used, for

fear of government retaliation. Their accounts could not be immediately

confirmed. Syria keeps a tight lid on information, particularly when it comes to

security issues.

Syria's government appeared to try to calm the situation later. An official

promised to free 70 people held after the deadly protests Friday as well as the

teenagers whose detention after scrawling anti-government graffiti touched off

the unrest.

The Syrian official said an investigative committee recommended firing several

government and security officials in Daraa, accusing them of mishandling

Friday's protests.

The Damascus activist said thousands of protesters called for an end to

emergency laws, in place since the ruling Baath Party took power in 1963

Syrian police sealed off Daraa after Friday's demonstrations, allowing residents

to leave the city but not to enter.

The National Organization for Human Rights said authorities randomly arrested

people who participated in Friday's protests in at least five cities, including

the coastal town of Banyas, Homs and the capital Damascus.

Ammar Qurabi, who heads the rights group, said those arrested were charged with

writing anti-government slogans.

A Syrian official acknowledged only two deaths in Friday's violence and said

that authorities would bring those responsible to trial. The official said that

even if an investigation shows security officers were guilty, they will be put

on trial " no matter how high their rank is. "