- Sputnik International
World
Get the latest news from around the world, live coverage, off-beat stories, features and analysis.

Police in Lebanon Use Tear Gas at Protest Marking 1 Year Since Unrest Began

© AFP 2023 / ANWAR AMROLebanese protesters gather to light the "October 17 torch" marking the one year anniversary of the beginning of a nationwide anti-government protest movement, in front of the devastated port of the capital Beirut where a massive explosion took place more than two months ago, on October 17, 2020. - Hundreds marched in Lebanon's capital to mark the first anniversary of a non-sectarian protest movement that has rocked the political elite but has yet to achieve its goal of sweeping reform.
Lebanese protesters gather to light the October 17 torch marking the one year anniversary of the beginning of a nationwide anti-government protest movement, in front of the devastated port of the capital Beirut where a massive explosion took place more than two months ago, on October 17, 2020. - Hundreds marched in Lebanon's capital to mark the first anniversary of a non-sectarian protest movement that has rocked the political elite but has yet to achieve its goal of sweeping reform. - Sputnik International
Subscribe
CAIRO (Sputnik) - Police in Lebanon’s capital Beirut on Saturday used tear gas against protesters who were marking the one-year anniversary of the uprising in the country, media reported.

According to national broadcaster Al-Jadeed, the tear gas was deployed outside Lebanon’s central bank in Hamra street, where demonstrators had gathered to protest the dire economic situation.

Separately, citizens gathered in central Beirut’s Martyr’s Square where they unveiled a special torch monument to commemorate the movement, largely referred to as revolution. They lit the torch at 6:07 p.m. (15:07 GMT) to commemorate the victims of the Beirut port explosion in August this year, which killed around 200 people.

Other Lebanese cities also saw various gatherings and demonstrations with few incidents reported.

© AFP 2023 / ANWAR AMROLebanese protesters lift a banner demanding the resignation of 120 politicians, during a demonstration marking the one year anniversary of the beginning of a nationwide anti-government protest movement, in the capital Beirut on October 17, 2020. - Hundreds marched in Lebanon's capital to mark the first anniversary of a non-sectarian protest movement that has rocked the political elite but has yet to achieve its goal of sweeping reform.
Police in Lebanon Use Tear Gas at Protest Marking 1 Year Since Unrest Began - Sputnik International
Lebanese protesters lift a banner demanding the resignation of 120 politicians, during a demonstration marking the one year anniversary of the beginning of a nationwide anti-government protest movement, in the capital Beirut on October 17, 2020. - Hundreds marched in Lebanon's capital to mark the first anniversary of a non-sectarian protest movement that has rocked the political elite but has yet to achieve its goal of sweeping reform.

The mass uprising began on 17 October 2019, when the government announced it was exploring a host of new taxes to alleviate the dire economic demonstration, including a tax on WhatsApp calls.

Unaligned citizens from the civil society took to the streets across the country to protest endemic corruption and economic mismanagement as a result of a fractious sectarian political system.

The unrest led to the resignation of the government of Prime Minister Saad al-Hariri. The subsequent government, headed by Hassan Diab, was largely dogged by party alliances and patronage.

Hyperinflation has since seen the local currency shrink ten-fold and lead soaring unemployment and poverty.

Protests were interrupted by a nationwide lockdown due to the pandemic but anti-regime protests have continued sporadically across the country.

Newsfeed
0
To participate in the discussion
log in or register
loader
Chats
Заголовок открываемого материала