▁of ▁the ▁nation ' s ▁capital . ▁ ▁The ▁reb els ▁c oden amed ▁the ▁assault ▁" Operation ▁Mer ma id ▁Da wn " ▁( ▁). ▁Tri pol i ' s ▁nick name ▁is ▁" The ▁Mer ma id " ▁( ▁) ▁( liter ally ▁" b ride ▁of ▁the ▁sea "). ▁ ▁Background ▁O pp osition ▁in ▁Tri pol i ▁Tri pol i ▁was ▁the ▁scene ▁of ▁major ▁cl ash es ▁and ▁a ▁failed ▁u pr ising ▁in ▁February ▁ 2 0 1 1 . ▁Protest ers ▁filled ▁Green ▁Square ▁( since ▁renamed ▁Mart y rs ' ▁Square ▁by ▁the ▁former ▁reb els ), ▁and ▁set ▁fire ▁to ▁the ▁People ' s ▁Hall ▁of ▁the ▁General ▁People ' s ▁Congress . ▁Fight ing ▁was ▁especially ▁fier ce ▁in ▁the ▁city ' s ▁eastern ▁T aj ura ▁district , ▁but ▁loyal ist ▁forces ▁were ▁able ▁to ▁cr ush ▁the ▁u pr ising , ▁with ▁many ▁cas ual ties ▁on ▁both ▁sides . ▁Lo yal ists ▁shut ▁down ▁the ▁internet ▁thus ▁cutting ▁access ▁to ▁social ▁networks ▁struct uring ▁the ▁opposition , ▁while ▁the ▁extensive ▁design ▁of ▁Tri pol i ▁did ▁not ▁allow ▁protest s ▁to ▁reach ▁critical ▁mass . ▁The ▁opposition ▁was ▁largely ▁weak ened , ▁with ▁supp or ters ▁being ▁unable ▁to ▁connect ▁an onym ously ▁and ▁fear ing ▁repr ession , ▁so ▁active ▁members ▁set ▁up ▁meet ings ▁to ▁rest ruct ure ▁the ▁local ▁opposition . ▁Several ▁loyal ists ▁organ izing ▁the ▁crack down ▁were ▁actually ▁double ▁agents , ▁inform ing ▁reb