Nocturnal violence and the previous day's arrests did not stop them. Hundreds of people demonstrated again on Friday January 17 in Beirut. Near the Parliament and the Central Bank, which they consider partly responsible for the situation of their country, the protesters have once again denounced the serious economic crisis plaguing Lebanon, but also a political class plagued by corruption and incompetence.
From the early hours of the morning, cars were parked across the road on a highway bridge overlooking the city center of the Lebanese capital.
"We blocked the road with cars because it is something they cannot remove," Maroun Karam, a protester, told AFP. "We do not want a government of masked politicians" into technocrats.
Vandalism against banks
Triggered on October 17, the protest movement claims a cabinet of independent specialists in the political harem, a claim defended by the new Prime Minister Hassan Diab, appointed on December 19 after the resignation of Saad Hariri, under pressure from the street. But Hassan Diab admitted to being subjected to "pressure" from the parties that supported his appointment.
After a period of breathlessness, the contest knew a revival this week, the demonstrators denouncing the delay taken by the new Prime Minister in the formation of a new government.
Already Tuesday and Wednesday, the capital was the scene of violence marked by acts of vandalism against several banks and clashes between demonstrators and police. In the space of 48 hours, at least 100 demonstrators have been arrested, AFP lawyers said on Thursday. The vast majority of them were released on Thursday.
Human Rights Watch (HRW) denounced the arrests and the use of force by the police.
"The unacceptable level of violence on Jan. 15 against the overwhelmingly peaceful protesters requires an independent and transparent investigation," said Joe Stork, deputy director for the Middle East of the human rights organization, on Friday.
Collapse of purchasing power
According to local media, roads were blocked in several regions of the country on Friday, including in Tripoli (north) and in the northern suburbs of Beirut. Some have since been reopened by the police.
Friday evening, soldiers guarded the surroundings of the Lebanese Central Bank considered by the demonstrators as the main responsible for their situation. In a few months, the Lebanese pound lost more than half of its value, the purchasing power has collapsed, and many Lebanese are losing their jobs due to the closure of their business.
In the grip of a protest movement that entered its fourth month, Lebanon is collapsing under a debt of around 90 billion dollars (81 billion euros), or more than 150% of its GDP. The World Bank warned in November that the poverty rate could reach 50% of the population, against a third at present.
With AFP
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