Clashes between the police and army forces and protesters against the deteriorating economic and living conditions led to injuries in Beirut and Tripoli, while Lebanese President Michel Aoun spoke of a plan to target the national currency.
Al-Jazeera correspondent in Beirut said that the hit-and-run operations are continuing between the security forces and dozens of protesters who gathered in the center of the Lebanese capital, while media reports said that the clashes resulted in the death of about 40 people in the capital, Beirut and the city of Tripoli.
The Operations Room of the Lebanese Emergency and Relief Service announced at dawn today, Saturday, the injury of 33 people - including two soldiers - during clashes between the Lebanese army and protesters in the northern city of Tripoli.
The protests come after an unprecedented deterioration of the Lebanese economy, after the dollar exchange rate crossed the barrier of five thousand pounds on the black market, and calls spread through social networking sites calling for a gathering today, Saturday, in front of the Ministry of Finance in Beirut and then heading to Riyadh Al-Solh Square in the center of the capital, rejecting To government policies.
The protesters had blocked a main road in downtown Beirut with burning tires, and a number of them set fire to shops near the Martyrs Square. In Tripoli, the army dispersed groups of youths who tried to confiscate the contents of two trucks loaded with food.
Anti-riot elements deployed to the Internal Security Forces in the area and fired tear gas canisters to disperse the protesters and push them out of the geographical space in the center of the capital. Fire trucks were also brought in to put out the fire that broke out in a number of shops.
These protests come despite the government's quick decisions announced in an attempt to contain the repercussions of the collapse of the lira exchange rate, as Information Minister Manal Abdel Samad said at the end of a government meeting that the Central Bank of Lebanon will pump the dollar into the market from next Monday.
Conspiracy
Meanwhile, Lebanese President Michel Aoun said that the appreciation of the dollar exchange rate is far from spontaneous, while the government held two meetings yesterday, Friday, in the presidential palace, and they did not discuss the dismissal of the governor of the central bank on the occurrence of protests that left casualties and closures of shops.
Aoun added - in statements at the start of a second session of the government - that the huge losses in the financial system, and the collapse of the lira against the dollar on Thursday, should be borne by the government, the central bank, and commercial banks, not depositors.
He pointed out that "what happened yesterday (Thursday) as a result of the high price of the dollar without any justification, makes us wonder if the number given to the dollar price is a rumor that has been circulated to take people to the streets and confrontations take place? Is it a political game, banking or something else?" .
The President of the Republic announced that the central bank will start pumping the dollar into the market from next Monday, to strengthen the lira after its significant decline in the past few days.
On the other hand, Speaker of the House of Representatives Nabih Berri announced on Friday, the agreement of the three presidencies (the Republic, Representatives and the Government) to reduce the exchange rate of the dollar to 3200 liras from Sunday.
On the international level, Stephane Dujarric, a spokesman for the Secretary-General of the United Nations, called on all parties in Lebanon to avoid violence and respect and protect the right to peaceful protest, and said that national unity in Lebanon is necessary by working on ongoing reforms.