Finally, the revenge of the cake-eaters. I only hope this festival atmosphere can be harnessed into real concrete action to keep the militias out. Read more on Tripolitanian customs and how popular action evicted the militias from the BBC's Rana Jawad here.
Tripoli residents have been brandishing and eating pastries on the streets this week as a symbol of their victory in forcing militias from elsewhere in Libya to withdraw from the capital. The city is famous for its baryoosh - a croissant-like brioche - but since the fall of Muammar Gaddafi, its residents have been derided by some in the provinces as cake-eaters.The problem for the new government in the two years since the killing of Libya's long-time ruler is that many of these brigades have refused to disarm and refused to leave the capital - until events last Friday. The bigger quandary for officials will be how to ensure their disbandment and disarmament or integration into the legitimate security forces.When asked if they were prepared to face militias in the event of further civilian protests against them, the policeman from Benghazi replied: "We are here to protect the people. "If there is a protest, God willing we will be the first ones there." This will give a sceptical public some hope. But for now the words of Louis XVI of France's queen is proving sustenance to some of the protesters. "We ate the croissants Marie Antoinette said we should eat and the militias left," one Tripoli resident quipped.