Two opposing protests were held on Saturday in front of the Justice Palace in Beirut. The first demanded the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1559, which calls for the disarmament of Hezbollah, and the other who stood in defense of the party’s weapons. The first rally chanted slogans that called for the removal of illegal weapons and the implementation of the relevant international resolutions, including resolutions 1559, 1680 and 1701. Issued in 2004, Resolution 1559 stipulates the disarmament of Lebanese and non-Lebanese militias, and the extension of state authority over all Lebanese territory. Resolution 1701 stipulated a ceasefire after the July 2006 war between Hezbollah and Israel, and barred weapons in an area south of the Litani River and until the southern border of Lebanon. Protesters raised banners that read, “No to the black weapons”, “No to illegal weapons”, and others announced their rejection of a “state within the state.” On the other end, the second sit-in rejected calls for Hezbollah’s disarmament, while the security forces cordoned off the area to prevent a clash between the two groups. A pro-Hezbollah protester said: “The weapons are those of the resistance against Israel. There are not limited to Hezbollah.” He added: “When the state failed to protect the land from Israeli and terrorist attacks, [Hezbollah’s] weapons were here to defend the Lebanese.”