- Title: Lebanon's protesters unsatisfied with president speech
- Date: 24th October 2019
- Summary: BEIRUT, LEBANON (OCTOBER 24, 2019) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS GATHERING OUTSIDE THE GOVERNMENT HEADQUARTERS IN CENTRAL BEIRUT BOOING AFTER LISTENING TO PRESIDENT MICHEL AOUN'S SPEECH VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS LISTENING TO AOUN'S SPEECH ON SPEAKERS GOVERNMENT HEADQUARTERS BUILDING (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) 39-YEAR-OLD PROTESTER, BASSEL SALEH, SAYING: "No one can negotiate for anyone in the streets, the demands of the streets are clear. Whoever wants to accomplish them or finish this crisis has to do what the crowd asked him for: The resignation of the government is the first demand for any attempt of dialogue and any attempt of calming the situation." VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS LISTENING TO PRESIDENT SPEECH THROUGH SPEAKERS IN PUBLIC AREA MAN WRITING WITH BRUSH ON BANNER WHILE AOUN SPEECH IS HEARD PROTESTERS LISTENING TO SPEECH (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) 20-YEAR-OLD UNIDENTIFIED PROTESTER, SAYING: "If I wanted to leave the streets yesterday, today I'm staying and not leaving at all. I'm not leaving before taking my and everyone's rights so when I finish university, I stay in my country and not go abroad." VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS GATHERING AND LISTENING TO AOUN'S SPEECH (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) PROTESTER AND LEBANESE EXPATRIATE VISITING LEBANON, NADA, SAYING: "The president's speech didn't change anything, people's shouts are high, people are hungry, people don't have money, and we see them (here) everyday. He should listen to them and if he does not have authority that means the government is a failure." VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS CHANTING SLOGANS AGAINST GOVERNMENT AND CORRUPTION VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS HOLDING ROSES AND LEBANESE FLAGS VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS HOLDING BANNER READING (Arabic): 'REVOLUTION' AND PROTESTERS WAVING LEBANESE FLAGS KAFR RUMMAN, SOUTH LEBANON (OCTOBER 24, 2019) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS GATHERING TO WATCH AOUN'S SPEECH ON BIG SCREEN VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS WATCHING AOUN SPEAKING (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) PROTESTER, HASSAN DAHER, SAYING: "I'm not satisfied at all (with the president's speech) because we suffered for 30 years; they stole and sucked our blood." VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS GATHERING UNDER TENT WITH LEBANESE FLAGS
- Embargoed: 7th November 2019 13:00
- Keywords: Lebanon protests President Michel Aoun Aoun president reaction
- Location: BEIRUT AND KAFR RUMMAN, LEBANON
- City: BEIRUT AND KAFR RUMMAN, LEBANON
- Country: Lebanon
- Topics: Conflicts/War/Peace,Civil Unrest
- Reuters ID: LVA001B2GI8NB
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Lebanese protesters listened from the streets on Thursday (October 24) as President Michel Aoun addressed the nation for the first time since a wave of historic demonstrations erupted across the country one week ago.
In a televised speech, Aoun said he was ready for dialogue with protesters to find the best solution for saving the country from financial collapse. But protesters in central Beirut remained resolute that Aoun's speech did not change anything.
The protests, which demonstrate the public's outrage with a ruling elite they accuse of corruption and call for the government's resignation, have swept Lebanon's streets since last week, paralysing the country despite announced reforms intended to pull it from crisis.
In Thursday's speech, Aoun promised he would fight state corruption as demanded by hundreds of thousands of protesters.
Aoun said he would back new laws aimed at fighting corruption, including proposals for laws that would lift bank secrecy and scrap immunity from presidents, ministers, and MPs, moves that could pave the way for investigations.
(Production: Issam Abdallah, Alaa Kanaan, Hassan Hankir, Yara Abi Nader, Imad Creidi) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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