By Taher Zaroog.
Misrata, 29 January 2013:
Young Misratans have been out in the city centre today removing tinted film from car windows. . . .[restrict]The move is part of a campaign to improve security in the city and follows Monday’s decision by the local council to ban vehicles with darkened windows.
The decision was one of several taken by the council in response to Saturday’s assassination of local council member Sheikh Mohammed bin Othman.
The ‘Let us be Clear’ campaign is being operated at the area opposite the Sheikh M’Hemmed Mosque. Youngsters were busy today taking off sticky-backed tinted film from car windows that conceals the occupants of vehicles.
The campaign has been launched by two Misrata organisations, the Movement of Change and Forum of Alkarama. Libyan news agency LANA said that members of Thuwar Brigades and security groups were also participating.
According to LANA there has been a very positive response to the campaign. Dozens of cars voluntarily drove into the arena and drivers enjoyed free tea while the adhesive tinted plastic was removed from windows by volunteers.
The first day of the campaign has been seen as a success with more than 50 cars having been relieved of their tinted windows. It will continue for several days, the aim being to ensure that there are no vehicles with tinted front windows in the city.
As part of its crackdown in the wake of the assassination, as well as the killing three days earlier of two security officials, the local council has also banned vehicles without licence plates. It has also set up additional check-points in the city. There is also a ban on unauthorised weapons and a curfew on vehicles late at night.
A crackdown on drug and alcohol users with prosecutions is also planned. [/restrict]
