For the second night in a row in the Lebanese capital, Beirut, clashes broke out between demonstrators and security forces. The vicinity of the headquarters of the Lebanese Internal Security Forces in the Corniche of Mazraa in Beirut witnessed clashes between the security forces and dozens of protesters who were calling for the release of 59 people who were arrested by the security forces on Tuesday night in the Hamra area during the confrontations witnessed in the vicinity of the central bank headquarters.
Riot police used tear gas to disperse the protesters, who threw stones at the security forces and blocked a road leading to the headquarters of the security forces. The Lebanese Red Cross said 45 people were injured, 35 of whom were hospitalized.
After hours of confrontations, at midnight Wednesday, Thursday, the security forces released ten of my detainees on Tuesday evening, according to local media and activists. However, during the recent confrontations, the security forces detained more demonstrators, and a lawyer for the demonstrators told the media that the security forces arrested 17 other people.
For his part, Judge Prosecutor General Ghassan Aouidat said that the detainees will be released in succession, with the exception of those who are found to be involved in the attack on the security forces.
During the confrontations, the security forces injured a Reuters cameraman, who was treated in hospital, then left. Al-Jadeed TV and Lebanese MTV said that a cameraman from each of them was also injured by the security forces.
In a statement, the Minister of the Interior of the Lebanese Caretaker Government, Raya Al-Hassan, condemned the violence and called on the demonstrators to be peaceful.
A statement said, "We do not accept exposure to media professionals and journalists who are duty-bound to cover current events and developments, and we do not accept exposure to security forces that maintain security and impose public order."
Since October 17, the Lebanese have taken to the streets and squares and cut off roads to protest against the performance of the political class, which demonstrators accuse of corruption and hold them responsible for the deteriorating economic situation and its inability to rehabilitate facilities and improve basic public services.
The protests caused the resignation of Saad Hariri, the caretaker head, and then assigned Hassan Diab to form a rescue government, vowing to be miniature and technocrats, before speaking on Friday of "pressure" he was under. He recently clashed with the call of political blocs that supported his mandate to form a techno-government.
The demonstrators are calling for the formation of a government as soon as possible, which will set a rescue plan for the ailing economy. Tens of thousands of Lebanese have lost their jobs or part of their salaries due to the worst economic crisis in the country in its modern history, while public debt has risen to about ninety billion dollars, equivalent to more than 150% of GDP.