- Title: Protesters express their frustration, block roads in southern Lebanon
- Date: 18th October 2019
- Summary: (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) PROTESTER, HASSAN ABO HASHEM, SAYING: "They've shut out all the youth of this area, they closed off their jobs. They want to build Lebanon, but Lebanon cannot be built without the youth, we sacrificed for our youth and we couldn't see the results. We worked with them for 30 years and for those 30 years, they all lied to us, they did not do anything for us, there are no job opportunities, neither in the south nor elsewhere. They did not build institutions, and the whole of Lebanon is suffering from this, not specific sects, whether it’s the Shi'ites, Sunnis, Druze, Christians, Alawites. The officials just let all of these matters slip by, everyone is following their leader, when will this followership end, nobody knows. They need to end it, to create results in Lebanon because Lebanon is a paradise." PEOPLE CHANTING AND REPEATING AT END (Arabic): "Revolution!"
- Embargoed: 1st November 2019 15:39
- Keywords: Lebanon protests Lebanon unrest protests in South Lebanon Lebanese protesters
- Location: SIDON AND NEAR SIDON, AND HBOUSH AND NEAR HBOUSH, LEBANON
- City: SIDON AND NEAR SIDON, AND HBOUSH AND NEAR HBOUSH, LEBANON
- Country: Lebanon
- Topics: Conflicts/War/Peace,Civil Unrest
- Reuters ID: LVA005B1MLQO7
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Protesters burned tyres and blocked roads across southern Lebanese towns on Friday (October 18), as protests grip the Mediterranean country for the second day in a row.
Protesters blocked the main highway in Sidon and burned tyres outside the home of Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri.
In the southern town of Hboush, crowds chanted for the "downfall of the regime".
Among the protesters was father of six, Hassan Abo Hashem, who said he was protesting for his children and other people's children.
He said youth across Lebanon and from all sects are struggling to find job opportunities, expressing his distrust toward officials, who he said were only working to please their leaders.
The demonstrations came as economists, investors and rating agencies warned that indebted Lebanon's economy and graft-entrenched financial system is closer to the brink than any time since the war-torn 1980s.
The nationwide protests, Lebanon's biggest in years, brought ordinary people from all sects and walks of life to the streets. Across the country, protesters chanted in unison for their country's top leaders to step down.
(Production: Hassan Hankir, Hend Kortam) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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