Despite Nasrallah's speech, protests continue in Lebanon and a clash between demonstrators and supporters

The protests continued in the Lebanese capital Beirut and a number of cities in the country, in the ninth days of the demonstrations, with clashes between the protesters and a pro-Hezbollah group in the capital, at a time when the party leader Hassan Nasrallah called on his supporters to leave the streets of protest, expressing his rejection of calls for the resignation of the government, And organize early elections.

Thousands of Lebanese gathered in Tripoli, Sidon, Nabatiyeh, Tire, Jal el Dib and other places to demand the resignation of the political class and the fight against corruption.Al Jazeera correspondent reported clashes between protesters and a group loyal to Hezbollah in the Riad al-Solh square (downtown).

The correspondent pointed out that the dispute broke out between the two sides against the backdrop of launching slogans against the corruption of the ruling political class, and riot forces intervened to disengage and separate the two sides.

Protesters blocked a number of roads this morning, particularly those linking Beirut to other provinces.

Commenting on the clashes, the head of the Progressive Socialist Party, Walid Jumblatt, called for protecting the demonstrators and putting dialogue above all else.

Military statement
The Lebanese army said that some abusive and unlawful practices were repeated by some protesters on the roads towards citizens and the military during their movements. In a statement, the army warned against resorting to these means.

In contrast, car convoys set off in Hezbollah strongholds in the southern suburbs of Beirut and Baalbek to the south and Tire to the south, hoisting Hezbollah flags to express support for what Nasrallah said in his second speech since the outbreak of protests on October 17.

Supporters of the Free Patriotic Movement and the Lebanese president also demonstrated in the town of Batroun (south of Tripoli) to express their support for the president.

Nasrallah
Hizbullah's secretary general expressed his rejection of the resignation of the government and his refusal to hold early parliamentary elections under the circumstances that Lebanon is going through. Nasrallah called on the leaders of the Lebanese political forces to agree on how to implement the demands of the movement, and then go to President Michel Aoun for dialogue.

Nasrallah called on his party supporters to stay away from protests across Lebanon aimed at overthrowing the country's ruling elite. "Lebanon has been targeted internationally and regionally," he said in a televised speech. Civil war.

Mazen Ibrahim, the head of Al-Jazeera's Lebanon office, said that the Lebanese security forces pushed additional reinforcements to prevent clashes between pro-Aoun and Hezbollah groups, and demonstrators demanding the overthrow of the regime and the departure of all political class.

Martyrs' Square
Al-Jazeera correspondent in Martyrs 'Square Johnny Tanios said that the number of demonstrators in the square is less than yesterday's demonstrations, but it is not possible to say with certainty the relation of this decrease with Hezbollah's speech or the clashes that took place in Riad El Solh Square near Martyrs' Square.

Al-Jazeera correspondent added that the protesters stressed their well-known demands, most notably the resignation of the government and the holding of new parliamentary elections. Many protesters believe that Nasrallah's speech today is aimed at intimidating the Lebanese people from the protests, including Nasrallah's speech about the unknown funding of the protests and the unknown agenda. That some are pushing in the demonstration yards.

Some protesters in the Martyrs' Square believe that the mobilization of some political forces supporters to demonstrate against the demonstrations, which have been going out for more than a week, aimed at provoking chaos in order to hold the demonstrators responsible.

Photos and Tripoli
In the southern city of Tire, Al Jazeera correspondent Mohammed Rammal said the situation was calm as protests against the political class continued, adding that there were fears among the demonstrators of the repercussions of Nasrallah's speech and questioning the spontaneity and objectives of the protest movement, especially the possibility of resorting to besieging the protests in the area. Tire, which is one of the areas of influence of Hezbollah and the Amal movement, led by Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri.

In the northern city of Tripoli, Al-Jazeera correspondent Ehab al-Aqdi said that the response to Nasrallah's speech was a rejection, as more demonstrators flocked to the center of the country's second largest city, stressing the need for the departure of all the ruling political class because it is responsible for the deterioration of the social, economic and political conditions of the country.

Demonstrators say Hizbullah's accusation of organizing the movement of receiving money from outside parties or embassies inside Lebanon is counterproductive, pointing out that they have lists of all who provided food or water to protesters in Tripoli during their sit-in days ago.

It is noteworthy that the spark of the Lebanese protests erupted after the intention of the government of Saad Hariri to approve a budget for next year, including a tax on Internet communications, especially WhatsApp, as well as increases in other taxes, to produce protests rejecting this tax, deteriorating living situation, and slogans quickly expanded to demand the resignation of the government The overthrow of the regime with the departure of all the ruling class.