The most violent weekend since the protests in Lebanon began

"It smells like vinegar," writes several on Twitter.

The smoke of tear gas lay heavy over several blocks in Beiruts Downtown. After Saturday's riots, protesters defied the weather and went out prepared for Sunday. Vinegar facilitates breathing in the stinging and stinging gas, it is said.

Nearly 500 people were injured during the weekend's riots, according to health workers, AP writes. The harsh response of the security forces has been called "brutal", and is condemned by the human rights organization Human Rights Watch.

- I'm not afraid at all. On the contrary, this made us stronger. We will not leave our friends alone, we will not abandon Lebanon. We are here to defend our cause, ”protester Mona told Reuters news agency.

The Kravall police fired water cannons directly at the protesters and rubber bullets were fired.

The protesters in turn fired fireworks at the security forces and threw stones. With the tennis racket, they hit the tear gas tanks back against the launchers.

The church bells rang and the mosque's prayer call echoed across the Martyrs' Square - a way for the religious institutions to provide calm and call for peace, but also to warn of unrest, writes, among others, the Lebanese news channel MTV. And it was a common feature when Lebanon's civil war raged, Lebanese say, who grew up during the war years.

The protests in Lebanon have lasted on October 17 and the hundredth day is approaching. In the first few weeks, the Lebanese sang: "Peaceful, peaceful, this revolution is peaceful". But since "Wrath Week" was announced last week, new slogans are now being heard on the streets: "Not peaceful, not peaceful, this is a revolution and not a song," the Washington Post reports.

- After three months of revolution, they (the politicians) have proven that they will not change. They do not listen and have nothing to give, Mazen tells AFP.

President Michel Aoun has called a security meeting with both the Interior and Defense Minister to discuss the country's crisis, according to the Lebanese news agency NNA.

On Monday, the Swedish embassy in Beirut updated the travel information regarding Lebanon and the Middle East region. Travelers are urged to avoid large crowds as well as demonstrations around the central bank in Hamra and other banks because of the risk of collapse, the embassy writes.