The “independence flag” flew grandly from the mast of the Libyan Embassy in Balzan yesterday after protesters scaled the facade and, to wild cheers, removed the green flag symbolising Muammar Gaddafi’s rule.
A similar attempt at the Libyan school in Ta’ Ġiorni was not as successful and the protest culminated in a commotion, with protesters leaving the entrance of the building to have talks elsewhere. The feat may be re-attempted today.
After calling on Libyan Ambassador Saadun Suayeh to replace the flag for the past week, a handful of determined men bravely scaled the embassy’s pillars and dangled precariously from the balcony until they reached the roof.
Their defiant action followed a 45-minute meeting with Dr Suayeh inside the embassy where three demonstrators requested the green flag be changed for the black, red and green one, which was banned by Col Gaddafi 40-odd years ago.
Dr Suayeh did not attempt to stop them and as he was exiting the embassy on his way to consult the Foreign Affairs Minister on the matter he told the press: “I will accept any flag that represents the whole Libyan people.”
“The most important thing is the safety and peace of the people,” he said, pointing out that the Police Commissioner had told him he could ask the 30 police officers stationed outside the building to “kick the demonstrators out”. However, he did not want to provoke a violent situation and did not resort to force at any time.
When asked whether he planned to step down, Dr Suayeh said he would remain in office until the crisis was over and then return to academia.
After his one-hour meeting with Foreign Affairs Minister Tonio Borg, he refused to comment on what was discussed, saying it was an internal discussion about the situation.
The three men who entered the embassy – Yosef Lamlum, Ali Ezabe and Jamal Alryan – said the ambassador had wanted to accept their request but was met with objection from others working in the embassy.
The crowd outside the building were jubilant, their spirits lifted with the hoisting of their flag.
“Changing the flag is a sign freedom is near. Gaddafi has two, maybe three days left,” one protester said.
The three-coloured flag was the true flag of Libya, they said, and the green flag represented Col Gaddafi’s oppression.
“This is an extraordinary moment which I’ve been waiting for 42 years,” Mr Lamlum, one of the men who scaled the building, said.
Evidently satisfied, the protesters made their way to the Libyan school in St Julians, demanding the green flag be changed and asking to use the school’s hall for meetings to set up a group to raise funds for humanitarian aid to be sent to Libya.
A Libyan man from the UK was in Malta to help set up a local Libyan Human Appeal. This UK group, set up in light of the crisis, collects funds for food and medicine to Libya. So far, the group has only been able to deliver assistance to Benghazi through Egypt but is hoping to help the western part of the country, especially Zawiyah, whose supplies would only last until Friday.
Outside the Ta’ Giorni school, some 20 men held peaceful protests and, after a couple of hours, two representatives were allowed inside to speak to the school director. Things did not end so well there, when two demonstrators were seen emerging from the building arguing heavily with another six men.
One of the men who went inside, Jamal Alryan, said about three quarters of those working at the school were pro-Gaddafi and did not want the flag changed.
After the men emerged from the gates, one of the school administrators, known as Jalal, came out to speak to the crowd. He was met with fierce opposition from those present who accused him of not being a true Libyan. The men and one woman had to be restrained by the police as a fist fight nearly broke out.
In a matter of minutes, the protesters decided to call it a day and retreated to a separate location to talk between themselves, possibly resuming their mission today.