Lebanese Protest Local Currency Devaluation in Beirut

BEIRUT (Sputnik) - People gathered outside the Lebanese central bank's building in Beirut on Tuesday to protest the high cost of the dollar, which has been driving the local currency's exchange rate downward.

Demonstrators blocked traffic on the central street as they called for urgent economic reforms and early parliamentary elections, the state news agency NNA reported.

Different groups responded and made it to Riad Al-Soloh square in Down Town Beirut to protest tonight.

Noting that curfew starts at 12 AM (in around 30 minutes) protestors are still on the ground. #Lebanon #LebanonProtests pic.twitter.com/e79iVdQ0d4

— Luna Safwan - لونا صفوان (@LunaSafwan) June 9, 2020

#Beirut, #Lebanon:

Mass protests against the government and the failing economy.

Reports about power outage in different parts of the country, due to lack of diesel fuel to operate the powerhouses. pic.twitter.com/GdCfCb27BC

— Amihai (@Amihai_F) June 9, 2020

On Saturday, the city saw clashes between anti-government protesters and security forces, with hundreds of demonstrators, pelting the parliament's building with stones and smashing shop windows.

Local troops were deployed to the streets to disperse the crowd. In response, protesters set a police motorbike on fire and barricaded the road, burning tires and trash cans.

Lebanon has been rocked by protests since October when the price of the dollar on the parallel market more than doubled, causing consumers to lose their purchasing power and putting many out of jobs.