'Public beach for everyone', cry out Beirut seaside protesters

Record ID: 1355562

  • Title: 'Public beach for everyone', cry out Beirut seaside protesters
  • Date: 10th September 2018
  • Summary: VARIOUS OF RESORT BY BEIRUT SEASHORE KIDS BY SEA BEIRUT, LEBANON (SEPTEMBER 10, 2018) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF LEBANESE FLAG ON TOP OF BEIRUT MUNICIPALITY BUILDING SIGN READING (Arabic): 'BEIRUT MUNICIPALITY' (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) HEAD OF BEIRUT MUNICIPALITY, ENGINEER JAMAL ITANI, SAYING: "I say it is true, there are violations that should be removed and there are private prope
  • Embargoed: 24th September 2018 17:26
  • Keywords: Lebanon protest sea beach public beach Lebanese protesting closure of public beaches
  • Location: BEIRUT, LEBANON
  • City: BEIRUT, LEBANON
  • Country: Lebanon
  • Topics: Society/Social Issues
  • Reuters ID: LVA0088X1LVMD
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text:Lebanese Activists, citizens and fishermen joined hands with folklore dancers to create a buzz by Beirut seaside on Friday (September 7), protesting coastal violations and demanding free public beach for everyone.
    They sang, danced and held banners against what they consider illegal properties on the seashore.
    "Today, we are demanding today a public beach for everyone," said Mohammed Ayoub, director of the youth-lead non-governmental organisation Nahnoo calling for the protest.
    "I don't have to pay $40 or $50 to swim in the sea - and now, we can't even swim in the sea, we have to travel to swim in sea water. We have the right to have this beach," added protester Fadel Fakih, referring to high-priced resorts along Beirut and Lebanon's seashore and the recent studies on sea water pollution in the country.
    According to 'Nahnoo', less than 40 km of Lebanon's 220 km seafront is still open for the public and there are violations on more than 90,000 sq. m only in Beirut.
    Head of Beirut municipality, Jamal Itani, confirmed there are violations on Beirut seashore - without mentioning numbers.
    He told Reuters on Monday (September 10) that they are working on a "study on how should the beach in Beirut be" with a first step to open the beach more for people and a second step of a general plan of renovation and remodeling.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2018. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
Register