TRIPOLI, Lebanon: Thousands flocked to Tripoli Sunday for a March 14 coalition rally to celebrate the country’s 68th anniversary of independence, with high hopes that former Prime Minister Saad Hariri would make a surprise appearance and personally address his supporters.

When the gathering’s organizers played a video of Hariri taking the stage at the Rashid Karami International Fairground, hundreds of women, men and children cheered wildly, only to realize moments later that they were watching archival footage of the Future Movement leader.

Some two hours after the end of the gathering, Hariri told his Twitter followers that he was sad he could not join the gathering.

“I was very proud of you, yet very sad not to be amongst you. I decided not to address you through a screen even though some expected it,” said Hariri in a tweet. Organizers had suggested last week that Hariri might give a speech by live video feed, but his statement was read instead by former Primer Minister Fouad Siniora.

The gathering was unsurprisingly dominated by slogans of freedom, independence and sovereignty of Lebanon, but had one unexpected feature: a 7-meter-long unofficial Syrian flag.

In its first appearance at a March 14 rally, the pre-Baath republican flag captured the attention of both local and foreign media covering the event.

The flag has become a major symbol in recent months of the Syrian uprising against President Bashar Assad.

Dozens of Syrian refugees who escaped the unrest in Syria joined supporters of March 14 who traveled from across the country’s north to Tripoli.

“Syria will be free from Assad and his thugs,” read banners, some of which displayed the name of Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah next to Assad’s.

“GAME OVER for Bashar Assad and Hasan Nasrallah,” was the message carried by another banner.

A Syrian man who was cheering with a group of Lebanese said that people in Lebanon and Syria are facing the same struggle. “It is time to be free and not be afraid of tyranny and acts of violence … this is why we are here,” he said, declining to give his name.

Hundreds of supporters of the Future Movement and the March 14 coalition marched with jubilation on the streets of Tripoli on their way to take part in the gathering, in which a host of politicians and activists also took part.

The choice of the Karami Fairgrounds for the day-long rally was considered by many a challenge to Prime Minister Najib Mikati, whose residence is located only meters from the area.

Holding Lebanese flags and the sky-blue flags of the Future Movement, many told The Daily Star that the people of Tripoli were demonstrating their complete support for Hariri, whose government collapsed almost a year ago.

“The people of Tripoli have spoken,” said a man who was waiting in a long queue to get into the complex.

“We are waiting for Sheikh Saad to make his speech,” said Hilal Kassir, another attendee.

When asked if Hariri’s months-long absence had undermined his popularity in the country, Kassir said that the leader would never lose popularity.

“No, no. Hariri is in our hearts and we all miss him and we are waiting for him,” he said.

“Today we are united together to overthrow the regime of Mikati,” Kassir, 24, added.

Organized mainly by the Future Movement in collaboration with the March 14 coalition, the gathering was held under tight security by the Lebanese Army and the Internal Security Forces, whose members fanned out across the city.

While some were visibly disappointed when Hariri failed to appear, many attendees refused to dwell on it.

Walid Ali said that, for the people attending the rally, Hariri is more than a politician. “He is not only a politician, he is a cause and hope,” he said, adding that the gathering was also to remind the Lebanese government that “it’s time to leave.”

“We are here to tell Mikati it’s enough … we don’t want you or Hezbollah’s weapons anymore.”

Across a huge billboard at the complex’s stage was written the gathering’s slogan: “The Autumn of Weapons and the Spring of Independence,” a not-so-subtle message about Hezbollah’s arms.

Many attendees voiced hope that Hariri would return to his position as the head of the government. “He might not have made it today, but he will soon arrive as a prime minister once again,” said Amal Zaher, from the Akkar village of Akroum.

In addition to fiery political speeches criticizing the Syrian regime and Mikati’s government, the crowd chanted slogans condemning the government’s handling of the presence of several hundred Syrian refugees in the country and its stance against measures taken by the Arab League over the past few weeks.

“Negligence and indifference equal treason,” the people chanted in reference to the government’s stance on the Syrian regime’s brutal crackdown on pro-democracy protesters.

While the gathering went off largely peacefully, two Lebanese Forces supporters were severely beaten and hospitalized after their vehicle was attacked by supporters of Minister of Youth and Sports Faisal Karami.

Several other people were also wounded Sunday as a result of stray bullets from celebratory gunfire.