On 7 August, about 150 protesters in Misrata staged a ‘Friday of Anger’ demonstration. They marched towards the Misrata Municipal Council headquarters where they held a rally. Organizers chose this site to put direct pressure on local government officials to take an explicit stand against the central authorities in Tripoli.
The protesters presented a declaration, asserting the values of citizenship and rejecting the worsening living conditions and the collapse of basic services. They declared that their demands include holding the current executive and legislative bodies fully responsible for the deterioration of living conditions and public services, and rejecting any extension or recycling of transitional phases outside the popular will. They called on municipal councils to adopt a clear stance in support of the legitimate demands of the citizens.
They demanded that the Attorney General and oversight bodies initiate serious and transparent investigations into corruption and the squandering of public funds, ensuring accountability for anyone proven responsible. They urged UNSMIL and the international community to support a clear political and constitutional path with a binding timeline leading to free and fair presidential and parliamentary elections.
The organizers emphasized during that the rally was part of an ongoing, escalating campaign of civil pressure across municipalities, including Misrata, warning that continued inaction by ‘central authorities’ will lead to further sit-ins and civil disobedience.
On 8 and 9 August, a number of protesters continued with a sit-in at a tent in front of the Misrata Municipal Council headquarters.