- Title: Massive wave of protests swells across Lebanon against ruling elite
- Date: 20th October 2019
- Summary: LEBANESE FLAG ON TOP OF BUILDING OVERLOOKING CROWDS AT MARTYRS SQUARE PROTESTER WAVING LEBANESE FLAG ON TOP OF BUILDING OVERLOOKING CROWDS AT MARTYRS SQUARE TRIPOLI, LEBANON (OCTOBER 20, 2019) (REUTERS) PROTESTERS GATHERED IN THE NORTHERN CITY OF TRIPOLI, HOLDING LEBANESE FLAGS LEBANESE SINGER AND COMPOSER, MARCEL KHALIFE, SINGING ON STAGE / CROWD WAVING ARMS VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS GATHERED, HOLDING LEBANESE FLAGS KHALIFE AND CROWD WAVING ARMS VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS GATHERED, WAVING FLAGS VARIOUS OF CHILDREN WAVING LEBANESE FLAGS GROUP OF PROTESTERS DANCING AND SINGING ON PLATFORM (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) 30-YEAR-OLD PROTESTER WHO DID NOT WANT TO GIVE HIS NAME, SAYING: "We have no jobs. I don't even have 1,000 Lebanese Liras ($0.60) in my pocket. Down with all of them, first (President) Michel Aoun, then (Speaker) Nabih Berri and (Prime Minister) Saad al-Hariri. All means all." CROWDS CHEERING AND WAVING LEBANESE FLAGS SIDON, LEBANON (OCTOBER 20, 2019) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS WAVING LEBANESE FLAGS PROTESTERS GATHERING NEAR TRUCK WITH SHISHA PIPES PROTESTERS SITTING IN HAMMOCKS VARIOUS OF PALESTINIAN REFUGEE, ISSA AL SAYED, GIVING PROTESTER A SHAVE / MAN SPRAYING CHILD'S HAIR GREEN (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) PALESTINIAN REFUGEE, ISSA AL SAYED, SAYING: "We are here in solidarity with the Lebanese people, we are one with the Lebanese, and we are living in the same situation. I am here giving shaves to everyone free of charge until the movement is over." VARIOUS OF AL SAYED GIVING PROTESTER A SHAVE SOLDIERS AND MILITARY VEHICLE IN STREET CHILD POSING FOR PHOTOGRAPHS WITH SOLDIER VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS PLAYING CARDS PROTESTERS SITTING ON PAVEMENT (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) 26-YEAR-OLD PROTESTER, MANAR (SURNAME NOT GIVEN), SAYING: "Alaska (the dog she is holding) and I came today because it is not just the rights of humans, it is all the rights of nature and everything else that is being squandered in this country. We are here protesting for the first time, we feel that there is hope for this country." MANAR POSING WITH DOG 'ALASKA', SLOGAN ON DOG'S JACKET READING (Arabic): "AM MORE HONOURABLE THAN ALL OF THEM" PROTESTERS SITTING OUTSIDE SHOP SMOKING WATERPIPES PROTEST IN PROGRESS, COLOUR SMOKE BILLOWING IN BACKGROUND VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS SITTING ON PAVEMENT PROTESTERS GATHERED THREE FEMALE PROTESTERS STANDING TYRE, LEBANON (OCTOBER 20, 2019) (REUTERS) CROWD OF PROTESTERS GATHERED IN COASTAL TOWN OF TYRE CROWDS WAVING FLAGS FROM TOP OF BUILDING OVERLOOKING TYRE BEACH FRONT LEBANESE FLAG, PROTESTERS BELOW
- Embargoed: 3rd November 2019 19:15
- Keywords: Lebanon protests politics economy unprecedented protests
- Location: TRIPOLI, SIDON, TYRE, JAL EL DIB AND BEIRUT, LEBANON
- City: TRIPOLI, SIDON, TYRE, JAL EL DIB AND BEIRUT, LEBANON
- Country: Lebanon
- Topics: Conflicts/War/Peace,Civil Unrest
- Reuters ID: LVA004B1WJ5TZ
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Massive protests swelled across Lebanon on Sunday (October 20) in an unprecedented show of dissent against its ruling elite, as hundreds of thousands converged to demand the overthrow of a system they see as riddled with corruption and cronyism.
A sea of people, many holding Lebanese flags, blocked roads nationwide for a fourth day, calling for revolution in protests that resembled the 2011 Arab revolts that toppled four presidents.
Cheerful, buoyant and hopeful that their protests would bring change, people of all ages and religions played patriotic songs and danced in the streets, with some forming human chains and chanting for their leaders to be ousted.
Festival-like scenes dominated the country from the capital Beirut to remote towns, with loudspeakers blaring music as crowds kept pouring into the streets. In Sidon, 35 kilometres (21.7 miles) south of Beirut and home to the country's largest Palestinian refugee camp, one Palestinian barber was offering free cuts to protesters.
''We are one with the Lebanese, and we are living the same situation,'' said Issa al Sayed while offering a free shave to a protester.
In Tyre, further south and traditionally a stronghold for Hezbollah and its ally Amal Movement whose leader is also the long running speaker of parliament, protesters chanted: ''The people want to topple the regime'' - the most popular refrain of the 2011 Arab Spring protests.
The anti-government protests, fuelled by crippling economic conditions and anger at perceived government corruption, have fanned out across the country since Thursday (October 17).
(Production: Walid Saleh, Hassan Hankir, Aziz Taher, Ellen Francis, Alaa Kanaan, Yara Abi Nader, Ayat Basma, Louisa Naks) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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