Sun 09 August 2020:
At least 728 people have been wounded in clashes with authorities as thousands of protesters hit the streets of central Beirut as riot police fire tear gas at those trying to break through a barrier to the parliament building. One police officer was also reported killed.
A officer was attacked by protesters as he tried to save those stranded in a hotel that was raided by demonstrators in Beirut, according to a statement by the Lebanese Internal Security Forces.
Demonstrators raid government buildings
Demonstrators raided the economy and environment ministries, and the Banks Association buildings
They went into the buildings and discarded official documents, while damaging furniture in the Bank Association building.
Lebanese were asked by the army “to express their demands in a peaceful way, stop demonstrations and not harm government property”.
According to the health ministry, at least 158 people have died and more than 6,000 injured since an explosion ravaged parts of the Lebanese capital Tuesday.
Causality figures are likely to rise as efforts continue to find missing people.
The tragedy has come at a time when Lebanon is experiencing its worst economic crisis, including a dramatic drop in the value of the pound against the dollar.
مشانق رمزية معلقة في وسط بيروت تطالب بمحاسبة الطبقة السياسية على جريمة انفجار مرفأ بيروت والقتل والدمار الذي تسببت به … pic.twitter.com/Ti9lV0ig2K
— ديانا مقلد Diana Moukalled (@dianamoukalled) August 8, 2020
Lebanese authorities accused of excessive use of force
At least 14 journalists and other media workers have been attacked while covering the latest protests in Lebanon, according to a journalist for the independent news website The Public Source.
Authorities have been accused of using excessive force against the protesters, who were demonstrating against government inaction following the deadly blast in Beirut on Tuesday.
US says supports right of Lebanese to peaceful protest, urges political reforms
The US government supports Lebanese demonstrators’ right to peaceful protest and urges all involved to refrain from violence, the US Embassy in Beirut said.
The embassy also said in a tweet that the Lebanese people “deserve to have leaders who listen to them and change course to respond to popular demands for transparency and accountability”.
