Huge crowds have gathered near Lebanon's parliament building, blaming the government for the massive ammonium nitrate explosion. Police responded with tear gas after demonstrators threw stones and tried to break the barriers.
Livestreaming video from the streets shows riot police armed with shields pushing forward to disperse crowds from outside the parliament building as tear gas fills the air. Protesters, mostly masked to protect them from Covid-19, are throwing rocks and projectiles directly at the security forces – with some of them hurling the projectiles directly back – and refusing to leave.
Thousands gathered on Beirut’s Martyrs’ Square, next to the parliament building on Saturday, angry at the government of President Michel Aoun and demanding justice for the victims of Tuesday’s blast that claimed over 150 lives, injured hundreds, and left many homeless.
آلاف المتظاهرين يشتمون رئيس الجمهورية الفاقد للشرعية ميشال عون في #بيروت. #لبنان_ينتفض pic.twitter.com/hNvQnUuZq7
— Radio Sawt Beirut (@SawtBeirut) August 8, 2020
Cutouts of what appears to be Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Hassan Nasrallah, the secretary general of Hezbollah, were placed in nooses set up by the demonstrators.
The Lebanese people know exactly who is the criminal and who is responsible
— Mohammed Ghorab (@MGhorab3) August 8, 2020
Hezbollah militia that killed the Syrians is also killing the Lebanese in a different way
They hung up the noose#Lebanon #Beirut #لبنان_ينتفض #لبنان #بيروت #سوريا pic.twitter.com/sSSyEM6jsm
Video shows that more demonstrators were marching there from Mar Mikhael, one of the areas most impacted by the explosion. The protesters are calling for the government to be removed. The tragedy struck the country at a time when the citizens are already disgruntled over the economic turmoil.
March just departed from Mar Mikhael - one of the most impacted areas from the explosion - towards Martyrs' Square in downtown Beirut. Calls to overthrow and behead the regime abound. pic.twitter.com/gtL6270xZv
— Nadim El Kak | نديم القاق (@NadimElkak) August 8, 2020
Saturday’s protest became tense with protesters trying to get close to Parliament and attempting to work their way past barricades protecting the building.
Huge crowds attempt to break in the parliament building in downtown #Beirut, riot police respond with #teargas
— RT (@RT_com) August 8, 2020
MORE: https://t.co/8awdHbVJlg pic.twitter.com/mJKtTOCvKn
Local media has described the scene in central Beirut as a “battlefield,” as protesters run from security forces and throw tear gas back at them. Emergency vehicles can be seen in the area as well.
Rocks and sticks come out, as protestors trying to break their way into ‘securuty zone’ city center and parliament building area, protected by blast walls. Crowd swelling as tear gas fired by riot police on the inside. It’s going to be a long night. #Beirut pic.twitter.com/vyL6AjyXuX
— Habib Battah (@habib_b) August 8, 2020
Protesters eventually stormed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs headquarters where they hung a banner calling for a demilitarized Beirut and smashed a framed picture of Michel Aoun, the president of Lebanon.
Lebanese Foreign Ministry building now.#Lebanon #BeirutExplosion pic.twitter.com/Jw6eOEQYbs
— Yeghia Tashjian (@yeghig) August 8, 2020
The ammonium nitrate that caused the massive explosion in Beirut on Tuesday is currently being investigated, but many already believe it to be the result of negligence, as the highly explosive chemical was stored at a port for six years with little to no oversight or security measures.
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