CHICAGO: Amid fear for those caught in the bloodshed in Libya, hundreds of protesters took to the streets of Chicago Saturday to voice their disgust with Moamer Kadhafi's deadly crackdown.
Chanting "Libya, Libya don't you cry, we won't let your freedom die" and "Enough is enough, Kadhafi's time is up," they waved monarchist Libyan flags and stomped on posters of the grim-faced dictator.
"We were hoping it would be a victory rally, but he's a madman holding the country hostage," said Abdularahman Aduib, 20, a Libyan studying in Chicago.
Much of Aduib's family is in the western city of Misurata and the last time he was able to reach them they told him mercenaries were patrolling the streets in an attempt to quash the mass uprising.
"It's very frightening," he said, and extremely difficult to be so far away.
"I feel guilty at a rally like this, when my hands get cold I want them to be colder because I feel I must sacrifice for my own country."
Cars honked in support of the protesters as cold, wet snow fell on signs proclaiming "we stand with Libya" and "solidarity with our loved ones."
In Washington, meanwhile, US President Barack Obama called Saturday on Kadhafi to "leave now," declaring that the Libyan leader had lost his right to rule after attacking his own people to put down a popular uprising. (AFP)
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