Thousands welcome back HH Sheikh Tamim

It was the first time HH the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani had travelled since the Gulf Crisis and blockading of his country began, and thousands gathered to welcome him upon his return.

Qataris and members of the expatriate community lined the road along the Doha Corniche's waterfront to welcome back the Emir. Many gathered more than an hour before the event commenced.

At around 6 pm traffic along the main thoroughfare leading from the airport was blocked to make way for the Emir and his official welcoming party.

People cheered their support as he passed, and he was seen leaning out to wave, and even leaving his vehicle to greet people, shake hands and kiss the foreheads of children. Many of the moved responses of those who came to welcome him were shared and reshared across social media platforms.

Great vibes at Doha Corniche right now. #كل_قطر_تستقبل_تميم pic.twitter.com/2JPeC99C20

— Mohd Noor (@MohdNoorudeen) September 24, 2017

Part of the determination to show support among the people sprang from their will to refute rumours of lessening support for the Emir among the nations imposing the blockade.

Sultan Barakat, director of Center for Conflict and Humanitarian Studies at the Doha Institute, spoke to Al Jazeera, and said that it felt "as if half of Doha" was on the street.

"I've never seen anything like it in terms of traffic," he told the news channel.

"Publicly, seeing the images today will push them [the blockading countries] to think twice about this particular issue," he added.

"It's been about 110 days or so and there hasn't been any feeling of split in the society and it seems to me that everyone is very much united behind the emir."

Whatever worries or hurdles lie ahead for the country, it is clear that the love and support for HH Sheikh Tamim has not waned, but rather increased in the face of hardship, and that is a heartening fact indeed.