Cautious calm prevails in Beirut, other Lebanese areas

BEIRUT, (ST)- Cautious calm on Saturday prevailed in Beirut and other Lebanese areas which witnessed protests and clashes with security forces last night.

The streets of the Lebanese capital Beirut and the surrounding areas witnessed light traffic and most shops were open, according to the Lebanese National News Agency (NNA).

The agency said that last night protests witnessed fierce clashes during which the protestors smashed the facades of shops as well as public and private institutions and set fire to some shops and waste containers. They also threw stones and molotov cocktails at Lebanese army personnel who fired rubber bullets and tear gas bombs to disperse the protestors. 40 people from both sides were injured in the clashes.

 The agency went on to say that protesters riding motorcycles carried out riot acts, attacked public and private properties and threw Molotov cocktails at the building of Tripoli municipality and at the glass façades of banks.

Lebanese Prime Minister Hussein Diab asked  commanders of the military and security apparatuses to take necessary measures to stop the attacks on public and private properties and to curb vandalism in all Lebanese areas which witness protests.

Protests and demonstrations have been rocking Lebanon since last October, demanding better living conditions and calling for fighting corruption. Some groups have exploited the citizens’ demands to carry out riot acts during the demonstrations.

Hamda Mustafa