Entertainment

Protesters sing Baby Shark to soothe frightened toddler

Eliane Jabbour and her 15-month-old son Robin found themselves caught up in the protests in Lebanon.
Eliane Jabbour and her 15-month-old son Robin found themselves caught up in the protests in Lebanon. Eliane Jabbour and her 15-month-old son Robin found themselves caught up in the protests in Lebanon.

Protesters sang Baby Shark to a frightened toddler after his mum asked them to keep the noise down.

When Eliane Jabbour was driving home in Baabda District in Lebanon over the weekend, she found herself caught up among a raucous group of demonstrators joining in the nationwide protests against the country’s leaders.

Thanks for the animation on road from baby Robin HaddadChabeb furn el chebackAnd the shark Elie-joe NehmePosted by Eliane Jabbour on Saturday, October 19, 2019

Concerned for her 15-month-old son beside her in the car, she asked them to quieten down.

“The moment I told them, ‘Please guys I have a baby next to me’ they immediately became different people,” she told PA.

“All their shouting and screaming and rage disappeared and spontaneously started singing Baby Shark for Robin.”

She caught the moment on camera and posted the video to Facebook, where it has gone viral with over 150,000 views.

And though she said Robin was a little overwhelmed by the noise at the time, he loves the video now.

Protesters sing Baby Shark to a toddler in a car
Protesters sing Baby Shark to a toddler in a car The protesters sand Baby Shark when 15-month-old Robin’s mum asked them to keep the noise down (Eliane Jabbour)

“He had just woke up, that is why he looks confused in the video,” she said. “But now when I show it to him he starts laughing. He loves the song.”

The children’s song has swelled in popularity with kids over the past few years thanks to a 2016 version which went viral on YouTube.

Lebanon’s government on Monday announced a suite of proposals aimed at appeasing protesters who had spent days on the street demonstrating against the nation’s wealth inequality and crumbling infrastructure.