- Title: Defiance amidst damage on streets of Lebanon
- Date: 19th October 2019
- Summary: BEIRUT, LEBANON (OCTOBER 19, 2019) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF DAMAGE AND SHATTERED GLASS IN THE STREET PROTESTERS GATHERING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS WALKING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET WITH PROTESTER HOLDING LEBANESE FLAG VARIOUS OF DESTROYED SHOP FRONTS CARS DRIVING THROUGH THE STREET SHOES PUT ON DISPLAY ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) PROTESTER, CHARBEL ABYAD, 26, SAYING: "Honestly what is happening is really beautiful and sometimes it is turning bad, so if you saw here yesterday it was full of people from the mosque to the areas back there and martyr's square. No violence occurred, but in the night it is taking another turn. I cannot blame the people who are doing it, honestly I am an employee, some are without a job, without medication, without education, they may be mistreated and cannot but express in this way." VARIOUS OF DAMAGED ROADS (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) PROTESTER, CHARBEL ABYAD, 26, SAYING: "About this 72 hours, first of all I don't really believe it, second if they found one in 72 hours, this really gives a bad image of what they were doing before. They had plenty of time and the people always had the same demands, so if now in 72 hours they found a solution, it looks as if they weren't doing anything before." PEOPLE CLEARING OBSTACLES FROM ROAD MOHAMMAD AL-AMIN MOSQUE PEOPLE CLEARING OBSTACLES FROM ROADS TRAFFIC IN STREETS (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) PROTESTER, FATHER OF TWO, SALAH ABDEL RAHIM, SAYING: "When the people come down to the street and each rightfully attacks his sectarian leader, this means that the country will be all right. When everyone is scared of their sectarian leader, this means we are lower than low. Today, I brought my son to teach him courage, because unfortunately we weren't courageous for 30 years." VARIOUS OF MARTYRS' STATUES TRIPOLI, LEBANON (OCTOBER 19, 2019) (REUTERS) BURNING TIRES BLOCKING ROAD GARBAGE BINS BLOCKING ROAD WITH MOTORCYCLES PASSING BY PEOPLE GATHERING IN STREET
- Embargoed: 2nd November 2019 09:27
- Keywords: Lebanon protests protests in Lebanon Lebanese protesters politics
- Location: BEIRUT, TRIPOLI AND MARJAYOUN, LEBANON
- City: BEIRUT, TRIPOLI AND MARJAYOUN, LEBANON
- Country: Lebanon
- Topics: Conflicts/War/Peace,Civil Unrest
- Reuters ID: LVA001B1RI79J
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:The streets of Beirut and Tripoli were in disarray on Saturday (October 19) after demonstrations against austerity in Lebanon turned violent overnight and activists gathered to protest for a third day.
Security forces fired tear gas and chased down protesters in Beirut on Friday (October 18) after tens of thousands of people across Lebanon marched to demand the demise of a political elite they accuse of looting the economy to the point of collapse.
Prime Minister Saad al-Hariri blamed his partners in government for obstructing reforms that could ward off economic crisis and gave them a 72-hour deadline to stop blocking him, otherwise hinting he may resign.
In a country fractured along sectarian lines, the unusually wide geographic reach of the protests highlights the deepening anger of the Lebanese. The government, which includes nearly all Lebanon's main parties, has repeatedly failed to implement the reforms needed to fix the national finances.
Lebanon's biggest protests in a decade recall the 2011 Arab revolts that toppled four presidents.
(Production: Imad Creidi, Sarah Duffy) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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