- Title: Lebanese protest top U.S. general visit
- Date: 8th July 2020
- Summary: BEIRUT, LEBANON (JULY 8, 2020) (REUTERS) PROTESTERS SCUFFLING WITH LEBANESE ARMY NEAR BEIRUT RAFIC HARIRI INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT PROTESTERS HOLDING HEZBOLLAH AND LEBANESE COMMUNIST PARTY FLAGS SCUFFLING WITH SOLDIERS / PROTESTER HOLDING MAKESHIFT AMERICAN FLAG / PROTESTER HOLDING PAPER READING (Arabic): 'NO TO AMERICAN TERRORISM' VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS CHANTING AGAINST THE U.S. VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS HOLDING HEZBOLLAH FLAGS AND CHANTING IN SUPPORT OF HEZBOLLAH LEADER SAYYED HASSAN NASRALLAH (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) LEBANESE PROTESTER, RIDA SALEH, SAYING: "We are here because the Americans, the authoritarian Americans, won't let us live, they want to interfere in everything and follow up on small and big things. We won't let them because (Hezbollah leader) Sayyed (Hassan Nasrallah) won't let them." VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS WALKING AND CHANTING AGAINST AMERICAN COMPANIES AND EMBASSIES MORE OF PROTESTERS GATHERING VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS HOLDING RED BANNER READING (Arabic): 'BOYCOTT AMERICAN PRODUCTS' PROTESTER HOLDING MAKESHIFT AMERICAN FLAG (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) LEBANESE PROTESTER, MOHAMMED OSSAILY, SAYING: "America has no right to interfere in Lebanese politics and stand in the face of the Lebanese resistance, which liberated the land from the Zionists, who are an alternative to the Americans and the American administration. Just like they carried the Marines before (bodies of marines who were attached near Beirut airport in 1983), they can take their suggestions and agents back to the U.S. State Department, to the U.S. policies and to the likes of (U.S. President Donald) Trump, the stupid." VARIOUS OF LEBANESE ARMY SOLDIERS SURROUNDING PROTESTERS HOLDING HEZBOLLAH AND LEBANESE COMMUNIST PARTY AND ARAB NATIONAL PARTY FLAGS VARIOUS OF PROTESTER HOLDING PHOTOS OF HEZBOLLAH LATE MILITARY LEADER IMAD MOUGHNIYAH STREET SIGN LEADING TO AIRPORT READING (Arabic and English): 'PARKING' AND 'TERMINAL'
- Embargoed: 22nd July 2020 11:48
- Keywords: Army Crisis Hezbollah Lebanon Protests Scuffles USA
- Location: BEIRUT, LEBANON
- City: BEIRUT, LEBANON
- Country: Lebanon
- Topics: Conflicts/War/Peace
- Reuters ID: LVA001CLY9UFB
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Pro-Hezbollah and anti-U.S protesters scuffled briefly with the Lebanese army on Wednesday (July 8) during a demonstration held against what they said was U.S. interference in the internal affairs of the country.
The protesters, waving flags of Hezbollah and the Lebanese Communist Party, gathered near the airport as a top U.S. general was landing for talks.
The protest comes after comments on June 28 by U.S. ambassador in Lebanon Dorothy Shea about Hezbollah - which the U.S. labels as a terrorist group - almost sparked a diplomatic rift.
The Lebanese state news agency NNA identified the top general as the head of U.S. central command Marine General Kenneth Mckenzie and said he was holding talks with President Michel Aoun and was due to meet with other top officials.
Lebanon is grappling with an acute economic crisis seen as the worst threat to its stability since the 1975-90 civil war.
(Production: Alaa Kanaan, Yara Abi Nader, Ayat Basma) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
- Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2020. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
- Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
