"CNN" noted some news agencies estimated the crowd at 200,000, the "Associated Press" news agency estimated that there were more than 500,000 pro-Syrian protestors, while "The New York Times" and "Los Angeles Times" simply estimated "hundreds of thousands". "Al Jazeera" reported a figure of 1.5 million. The predominantly Shi'ite protestors held pictures of Syrian President Bashar Assad and placards reading, in English, "No for the American Intervention". Some media sources noted that it was likely that many of Lebanon's approximately 500,000 Syrian guest workers participated in the rally. In addition to demonstrating the extent of popular support for Syria among Shi'ites, the demonstration reiterated Hezbollah's rejection of Resolution 1559, whose call for the disbanding of all Lebanese militias threatens the continued existence of its military wing, the force credited for the liberation of south Lebanon from Israeli occupation. Nasrallah also held demonstrations in Tripoli and Nabatiyé on 11 and 13 March.