Security forces launch crackdown T
As government bickers, parts of Beirut resemble war zone
he Lebanese army moved to end the wave of protests against tax increases and alleged official corruption yesterday, as the fragile governing coalition fractured over promised economic reforms.
Troops reopened some major highways that had been blocked by protesters after firing tear gas and water cannons to disperse the huge crowd that had gathered into the early hours in Riyadh Al Solh Square in the heart of the capital Beirut.
The Internal Security Forces said 70 protesters were arrested. Groups of young people gathered on the streets of the capital during the morning, preparing for a new day of protests despite the burgeoning crackdown.
They collected tyres and other material with which to throw up improvised roadblocks.
Capital comes to standstill
Parts of central Beirut looked like a war zone, littered with broken glass, overturned litter bins and the remains of burning tyres. Banks and many restaurants and shops remained closed.
The protesters are demanding a sweeping overhaul of Lebanon’s political system, citing grievances ranging from austerity measures to alleged corruption to poor infrastructure.
Thousands of people of all ages, sects and political affiliations brought the capital to a standstill on Friday, with demonstrations reported across the country.
Minor clashes continued through the night pitting groups of young men against the army. One protester in the southern city of Nabatieh, a Hezbollah stronghold, vowed to defy the crackdown.
“They are trying to portray us as a mob, but we are demanding our rights,” he told a local television channel.
Lebanon has one of the highest public debt burdens in the world and the government is trying to reach agreement on a package of belt-tightening measures to cap the deficit in next year’s budget.
The promised austerity moves are essential if Lebanon is to unlock $11 billion in economic assistance pledged by international donors last year.