Gaddafi Makes Public Speech, Vows to Arm Entire Nation

A picture taken from a television screen of Al Arabiya TV channel broadcast relaying a Libyan State TV feed, shows Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi (C) speaking to supporters (not pictured) at Green Square, Tripoli. EPA/BGNES

Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi, whose 40-year-old regime is crumbling under the blows of a popular pro-democracy uprising, has made an unexpected appearance in Tripoli's Green Square.

Gaddafi spoke to a crowd of his supporters in the Green Square Friday vowing to be unyielding in the struggle against the popular uprising.

"We can defeat any aggression if necessary and arm the people," Gaddafi said, in footage that was aired Libyan state television on Friday, as cited by Al Jazeera.

He declared that his regime will open up the arm storage facilities and will arm the entire nation in order to crush the uprising, which appears to be an aftershock of the recent revolutions in Tunisia and Egypt.

Gaddafi remains convinced that the Libyan people love him even as thousands of protesters against his regime across Libya focused their attention on the capital on Friday afternoon, following the midday prayer.

As demonstrators in Tripoli took to the street, security forces loyal to Muammar Gaddafi, the Libyan leader, reportedly began firing on them. At least six had been killed, according to reports.

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