# Canonical recap data for Cedar Revolution Protests (2005)
# Source: https://recap.at/2005/cedar-revolution
# Format: YAML 1.2 (UTF-8). Generated at request time.
slug: cedar-revolution
canonicalUrl: "https://recap.at/2005/cedar-revolution"
title: Cedar Revolution Protests
aliases:
- Independence Intifada
- Beirut Spring
- Anti-Syrian Protests 2005
subtitle: Mass demonstrations following Hariri's death forced Syrian military withdrawal and represented a rare moment of cross-sectarian Lebanese unity.
recapType: global_event
eventStatus: concluded
startDate: 2005-02-14
endDate: 2005-04-27
datePrecision: day
year: 2005
decade: 2000
country:
name: Lebanon
slug: lebanon
summaryShort: The Cedar Revolution, known in Lebanon as the Independence intifada, was a chain of demonstrations in Lebanon triggered by the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafic Hariri. The popular movement was remarkable for its avoidance of violence, peaceful approach, and its total reliance on methods of civil re
summaryLong: The Cedar Revolution, known in Lebanon as the Independence intifada, was a chain of demonstrations in Lebanon triggered by the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafic Hariri. The popular movement was remarkable for its avoidance of violence, peaceful approach, and its total reliance on methods of civil resistance.
lede: In February 2005, hundreds of thousands of Lebanese took to the streets of Beirut after the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafic Hariri, demanding the withdrawal of Syrian troops and an end to Syrian political control. The uprising, which lasted weeks and drew people across sectarian lines, forced Syria to announce a pullout and triggered early parliamentary elections. It marked a rare moment of unified Lebanese resistance that temporarily reshaped the country's political landscape.
heroImageUrl: "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f3/Cedar_Revolution_Demonstrators.jpg/1280px-Cedar_Revolution_Demonstrators.jpg"
heroImageCredit: Wikipedia · "Cedar Revolution"
importance: 68
sourceConfidence: 75
keyFacts:
- label: Peak crowd size
  value: ~1 million protesters (March 14, 2005 rally)
- label: Triggering event
  value: Assassination of Rafic Hariri on February 14, 2005
- label: Syrian military presence end
  value: April 2005 (announced), completed by May 2005
- label: Duration of main protests
  value: February–May 2005
- label: Syrian military tenure in Lebanon
  value: 29 years (1976–2005)
- label: Deaths in Hariri assassination
  value: 22 people
- label: Subsequent parliamentary elections
  value: June 2005
timeline:
- date: 2005-02-14
  title: Assassination of Rafic Hariri
  description: Former Prime Minister Rafic Hariri killed in Beirut car bombing along with 21 others. The attack catalyzes immediate suspicions of Syrian involvement.
- date: 2005-02-16
  title: Initial anti-Syrian demonstrations
  description: Thousands gather in Beirut demanding accountability and calling for Syrian withdrawal, beginning sustained protest movement.
- date: 2005-03-01
  title: Pro-Syrian counter-rally
  description: Hizbollah and Amal organize competing demonstration, highlighting sectarian fractures beneath surface unity.
- date: 2005-03-14
  title: Peak Cedar Revolution rally
  description: Estimated 1 million protesters gather in Beirut's Martyrs' Square demanding Syrian withdrawal and new elections, marking largest demonstration in Lebanese history.
- date: 2005-03-19
  title: Syrian President Bashar al-Assad announces withdrawal
  description: Assad declares Syria will begin military pullout, yielding to sustained pressure from Cedar Revolution.
- date: 2005-04-26
  title: Final Syrian troop deployment ends
  description: Last Syrian military units formally leave Lebanese territory after 29-year occupation, ending tangible presence but not regional influence.
- date: 2005-06-19
  title: Parliamentary elections held
  description: First elections following Syrian withdrawal see strong performance by anti-Syrian March 14 bloc, solidifying Cedar Revolution's electoral impact.
sources:
- url: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cedar_Revolution"
  title: Cedar Revolution
  provider: Wikipedia
related: []
impactStatement: The Cedar Revolution temporarily unified a fractionally divided Lebanon and directly forced Syria to end a 29-year military presence. The movement demonstrated the power of sustained mass protest to shift geopolitical arrangements, though subsequent sectarian tensions and foreign intervention ultimately limited its long-term effects.
categories:
- protest
- revolution
taxonomy:
domain: social_movement
eventTypes:
- protest
- civil_disobedience
canonicalClasses:
- mobilization
- conflict
- transformation
impactRadius: national
velocity: sudden
predictability: black_swan
intentionality: spontaneous
domainCoupling: multi_domain
lifecycleClass: transition
metaDescription: "Lebanon's 2005 Cedar Revolution: mass protests that forced Syrian withdrawal and reshaped regional politics."
wikidataQid: Q184310
archiveSnapshots:
- url: "https://web.archive.org/web/20050525085049/http://en.wikipedia.org:80/wiki/Cedar_Revolution"
  capturedAt: 2005-05-25
  label: Cedar Revolution
  originalUrl: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cedar_Revolution"
