Inspired by the fashionable haircuts of celebrities, especially football stars, young Iraqi protesters sport defiant hairstyles. The mostly male protesters, some of whom see Baghdad’s famous Tahrir Square as their second home, sport slicked styles, a testament to their unyielding rebel spirit. The phenomenon of the sporting celebrities’ hairstyles has not only been spotted in Iraq but in most other Arab countries. Iraq has a conservative community but Omar Dabbour, a 23-year old actor and renowned activist, told AFP on December 23 that “people feel increasingly free” in Tahrir Square. "In Tahrir Square, young people are daring – it has become normal […] but in the rest of the city, it's a bit different – more conservative. There is the army, the militiamen who can bother you at checkpoints," he added. The most popular hairstyle among the young protesters is the pompadour - named after a mistress of French King Louis XV. "The revolution has changed everything," said Qassim, one of the protesters. “We also know how to let loose.” Photos: AFP
