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Demonstration in Beirut Thursday, October 17th in the evening. REUTERS / Mohamed Azakir

The Lebanese let out their anger against the drastic degradation of their living conditions by demonstrating throughout the country until late in the night from Thursday to Friday.

With our correspondent in Beirut , Paul Khalifeh

In a spontaneous movement that has spread all over the country, thousands of people descended Thursday night in the streets of Beirut and major Lebanese cities, to denounce the corruption of the political class by chanting slogans calling for departure government or the " fall of the regime ".

Living conditions have deteriorated significantly for weeks with sectoral strikes and a shortage of dollars, in a country whose economy is backed by the greenback.

The straw that broke the camel's back is a decision by the Minister of Telecommunications to impose a $ 6 a month tax on conversations by WhatsApp and other e-mail. Despite the cancellation of its decision Thursday night, the anger of the protesters did not fall. On the contrary, youth groups cut most arteries in the capital and the big cities with the help of dumpsters and burning tires, making traffic very difficult.

The police were discreet, avoiding rubbing the protesters, who were still rejected when they tried to enter the compound of the Grand Serail, the seat of Prime Minister Saad Hariri.

The government meets this Friday under the presidency of the head of state Michel Aoun to try to defuse the crisis. But here in Beirut, many think it is now too late.