Protests rattle nervous Beirut, Nasrallah appealed to them to immediately end their demonstrations

Source: Aljazeera.net, 23-11-2006
Hundreds of Shia Lebanese have begun demonstrating in Beirut after clerics told their followers that Hasan Nasrallah, the Hizbullah leader, had been "insulted".
Earlier on Thursday, tens of thousands of Lebanese had demonstrated in the funeral of Pierre Gemayel, the assassinated Christian minister of industry.
The Hizbullah supporters chanted: "Nasrallah don`t worry, your Shi`ites can sacrifice themselves," as they marched to block the road leading to Beirut`s airport.
Hizbullah urges end to protests
However, the evening`s protest did not appear to have been ordered by Hizbullah`s leadership.
Speaking to Hizbullah`s television station late on Thursday night, Nasrallah appealed to his supporters to immediately end their demonstrations.
"I urge them to leave the streets, more than urge, I beg them to leave the streets," he said. "We don`t want anyone on the streets at all."
Witnesses said that Hizbullah cars with loudspeakers had urged the protesters to disperse and go home. Hizbullah members were also reported to have blocked off nearby streets to stop the protests from spreading.
Protesters interviewed by Al Jazeera described the demonstrations as a "spontaneous public expression" of anger at "insults" they said had been directed at Nasrallah earlier in the day.
The road to the airport passes close to Beirut`s mainly Shia southern suburbs, the stronghold of Hizbullah which is Lebanon`s largest Shia political movement.
Hizbullah threatens new protests
Hizbullah had previously threatened to take to the streets to topple the Western-backed government of Fouad Siniora, the prime minister.
Ali al-Moqdad, a Hizbullah MP, told Al Jazeera that Hizbullah`s protests might continue as early as Sunday when the official three days of mourning for Gemayal ends.
"After two days, we will go again with our demonstrations," he said on Thursday night.