The centenary of the State of Greater Lebanon has certainly been a loud occasion, politics-wise as well as street-wise.
Unimpressed by the abundant political statements and familiar promises made on Tuesday, hundreds of Lebanese people took to the streets in what is being referred to as “Lebanon’s Great Anger,” to protest against the ruling class.
Calling on their fellow citizens to join them as they demand change, numerous protesters attempted to break into the Parliament building in central Beirut.
From their side, some angry demonstrators hurled stones at riot police personnel who resorted to tear gas in order to disperse them.
The toppling of the government, the reformation of the political system, the improvement of the terrible living conditions, and holding corrupt officials accountable for their crimes are among the demands that the protesters shouted on Tuesday afternoon.
In response to the clashes, the Lebanese Red Cross (LRC) dispatched 5 teams to deal with the injuries and transport advanced cases to hospitals.
As the violence continued, the number of responding teams was raised to 8, the LRC later announced, mentioning that 1 injury required hospitalization while 20 cases were treated at the scene.
Notably, some vandals damaged properties in Beirut’s central district and set the nearby building of the Lebanese newspaper Annahar on fire.
Meanwhile, another group of protesters was rallied in front of the French Embassy in Beirut, calling on French President Emmanuel Macron to release the Lebanese detainee George Abdallah, who has been imprisoned in France since 1984.
Macron, who arrived in Beirut late on Monday, is scheduled to return to Lebanon later this year as he continues to push for reforms in the collapsing country.
