by CHRISTOPHER STEPHEN & CAROLINE ALEXANDER
A man works on the damaged bronze statue, which has become a target for Islamists who have already taken aim at other shrines in the country. PHOTO/Manu Brabo/AP
“The Gazelle is something for all of Tripoli,” said Souad Wheidi, a therapist, referring the statue by its nickname. “She is part of our city’s heritage, she has survived, as have we.”
In the security vacuum that emerged since Qaddafi’s removal and killing in 2011, Islamists have flexed their muscles through attacks on foreign diplomats. They’ve also stolen the corpses of “idolatrous” Muslims and driven bulldozers through mosques and libraries. In August, acting on a tipoff, local authorities deployed police in bullet-proof vests and armed vehicles to prevent a religiously motivated attack against the bronze statue.
Bloomberg for more
(Thanks to Harsh Kapoor of SACW)