Lebanon- Tear gas fills the streets as anti-government protest turns violent in Beirut
- 4 years ago
Lebanon- Tear gas fills the streets as anti-government protest turns violent in Beirut
An anti-government protest decrying the dire economic situation in the country turned violent in Beirut on Saturday, as groups of opposing protesters clashed with one another and with police.
Heavily armed police officers as well as members of the military were seen being deployed in Beirut, as they fired tear gas at protesters who hurled stones in return at them. A large group of demonstrators holding Lebanese flags and signs could be seen chanting at famous Martyr's Square.
When talking to the media about the reasons of taking to the streets, one of the protesters stated: “We are continuing [with the protests] and we have returned to the streets because all our rights have not been achieved, on the contrary, the politicians are arrogant and have underestimated us. No electricity, no water, unemployment, and poverty. This political class is supposed to leave.”
According to reports, the unrest allegedly began when pro and anti-Hezbollah political groups joined the protest and began chanting slogans against each other. The confrontations reportedly caused others to fear that the purpose of the protest was being lost.
Protests against allegations of government corruption broke out last year, as Lebanon was facing its worst economic crisis in decades, with soaring unemployment and the Lebanese pound plummeting in value against the dollar. The lockdown due to the coronavirus outbreak has added further pressure on the struggling Lebanese economy, prompting a new wave of protests despite social distancing restrictions.
An anti-government protest decrying the dire economic situation in the country turned violent in Beirut on Saturday, as groups of opposing protesters clashed with one another and with police.
Heavily armed police officers as well as members of the military were seen being deployed in Beirut, as they fired tear gas at protesters who hurled stones in return at them. A large group of demonstrators holding Lebanese flags and signs could be seen chanting at famous Martyr's Square.
When talking to the media about the reasons of taking to the streets, one of the protesters stated: “We are continuing [with the protests] and we have returned to the streets because all our rights have not been achieved, on the contrary, the politicians are arrogant and have underestimated us. No electricity, no water, unemployment, and poverty. This political class is supposed to leave.”
According to reports, the unrest allegedly began when pro and anti-Hezbollah political groups joined the protest and began chanting slogans against each other. The confrontations reportedly caused others to fear that the purpose of the protest was being lost.
Protests against allegations of government corruption broke out last year, as Lebanon was facing its worst economic crisis in decades, with soaring unemployment and the Lebanese pound plummeting in value against the dollar. The lockdown due to the coronavirus outbreak has added further pressure on the struggling Lebanese economy, prompting a new wave of protests despite social distancing restrictions.