Protesters Stay on Streets despite Riad al-Solh Clashes, Hizbullah-AMAL Demos

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Lebanese protesters set up tents, blocking traffic in main thoroughfares and sleeping in public squares on Friday to enforce a civil disobedience campaign and keep up the pressure on the government to step down.

By early afternoon, scuffles broke out in the epicenter of the protests in central Beirut, when supporters of Hizbullah entered the area to reject chants against their leader, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, who was named by the protest movement as one among the political elite who must leave.

"Nasrallah is more honorable than all of them," the pro-Hizbullah protesters chanted. They scuffled with the protesters who were previously in the square until riot police tried to break up the fight. The scuffles came shortly before Nasrallah was due to speak.

Anger has been building among Hizbullah supporters because the protesters named him, along with other corrupt politicians. At least two protesters were injured in the scuffles. The riot police encircled the pro-Hizbullah protesters, who carried batons, separating them from the other protesters.

But tension returned when the protesters moved down the main road, lobbing stones and at one point attacking a TV crew from a station aligned with a Hizbullah rival. Some protesters chanted for calm.

The riot police formed layered lines to separate the Hizbullah supporters from the other protesters.

Later on Friday, supporters of Hizbullah and the AMAL Movement roamed the streets in Beirut’s southern suburbs and the southern city of Tyre, some of them on motorcycles, in a show of force and allegiance.

Protesters meanwhile started flocking to the Riad al-Solh and Martyrs squares in downtown Beirut after the end of the scuffles.

Banks, universities and schools remained closed Friday, the ninth day of nationwide protests, which initially were triggered by new proposed taxes that followed public spending cuts.

Earlier Friday, protesters briefly closed the highway linking the southern city of Sidon to Beirut, burning tires and blocking traffic. The army later removed the tires and reopened the road.

On the highway linking eastern and western Beirut, protesters set up tents, some sleeping on the road, to block traffic. They allowed only ambulances and army vehicles through. Protesters waved banners that read: "You have put up with the state, bear with us for a couple of days," to motorists who arrived at a blocked road linking eastern Beirut to its southern suburbs.

In its first official warning, the army urged the protesters to respect the right of the people to move, calling on them to stop blocking roads. "The Army Command warns against continued use of these means, obstructing personal and public freedom," the military said in a statement on its official Twitter account.

Amnesty International said the Lebanese protesters are making their voices heard in a peaceful manner, including the blocking of roads.

Despite government promises of reforms, the leaderless protesters have dug in, saying the country's incumbent officials are corrupt and must go.

"We will accept nothing less than the resignation of the government, the president, dissolving the parliament and holding early parliamentarian elections," said Mohammad Mazloum, an engineer who has been protesting since the protests began on Oct. 17.

Mazloum said he spent the night in the tent set up on one of the highways.

The unprecedented mass protests come amid a deepening economic crisis in Lebanon. They have united Lebanese against the country's sectarian-based leaders, who have ruled since the end of Lebanon's 1975-90 civil war.

Lebanon is one of the world's most indebted nations, with public debt over 150 percent of the gross domestic product. The protesters accuse the politicians of amassing wealth even as the country gets poorer.

He said he and fellow protesters from various cities and sects have been putting their heads together to come up with new, alternative names to the incumbent politicians.

The country's top politicians have addressed the protesters, telling them they have heard their complaints. Prime Minister Saad Hariri presented a reform program which was only passed in the Cabinet after street pressure. President Michel Aoun asked the protesters to send representatives for talks with him.

Nasrallah has warned that the resignation of the Cabinet would plunge Lebanon into political feuding and possibly chaos and even “civil war.”

Comments 8
Missing cedaris over 4 years

Nasrallah has cost the country more than others even. Paralysing the country and scaring away investments. No surprise our GDP has languished, our debt skyrocketed (into the politicans' pockets) whereas Israel is seeing record growth. Our resistance should be economic. We should invest and grow and offer our population possibilities! That would be real resistance!

Thumb devnull_666 over 4 years

Your ad hominem attacks against a poster are despicable. Calling the poster "Stupid Zionist" and having a "despicable and criminal existence" is not an argument. Wouldn't be surprised if you were one of those throwing crap at peaceful protesters, defending the illegal militia from verbal abuse.

Thumb gebran_sons over 4 years

Reminds me of the Basij that attacked the Iranian demonstrators during the Green Revolution in 2010.. the scum of Iran society attacking students and the most educated and productive sector of the Iranian population who were courageously asking for freedom and democracy. Green Revolution happened 5 years after Cedar Revolution I. Today is Cedar Revolution II and Green Revolution II is around the corner to liberate the oppressed Iranian and Lebanese people from the Basij militia who cares only about rockets and belligerence.

Thumb gebran_sons over 4 years

This revolution can only find its soul when it sticks to principles and forgo all zuammas. The eternal principles of freedom, sovereignty, justice, independence and democracy. Hizbollah must be disarmed immediately to give Lebanon and the Shia community a chance for a decent life, restored dignity and economic prosperity.

Thumb gebran_sons over 4 years

Since 2005, Lebanon should have been the Singapore of the ME & Dubai of international business and regional headquarter of foreign corporations due to its human resources, education system, democratic system, plurality, entrepreneurial spirit, climate, sophistication and worldwide connections. The reason we are bankrupt, gradually loosing freedom, democracy and independence has one source: Hizbollah and those supporting it notably Bassil party. The economic cost of Hizbollah is in the hundreds of billions by causing the exodus of international corporations, making long term investment impossible, threatening our Gulf neighbors and behaving as the attack dog for Iran’s expansionist policies ready to sacrifice Lebanon at any moment as in 2006. It enslaved the Shia community in a radical culture foreign to Lebanon. Only one possible solution: Hizbollah or Federalism to safeguard future generation from this foreign agent.

Thumb gebran_sons over 4 years

Berri claims to carry the mantle of Imam Saddr. He is an imposter and corrupt to the bones. If Emam Saddr was still alive, he would be the prime supporter of the demonstrators and Iran’s 2010 Green Revolution was was brutally suppressed by the Basij. The criminal Iranian regime is only remaining in power by crushing the 2010 Green Revolution uprising by educated and productive sector of the Iranian society. Iranian of the Green Revolution were demanding the same democracy and rights Lebanese Shia enjoy but were brutally suppressed by the Basij. Berri and Nassrallah supported the Basij but Green Revolution II will topple them and restore freedom, democracy, prosperity and intellectual vitality to the Shia community.

Thumb thepatriot over 4 years

Yaaaa biggy! Sounds like you would be happy in North Korea. Be my guest. They will be happy to have you there.

here... you won't be missed!

Missing phillipo over 4 years

Just think, if you are capable of such a thing - if Israel wasn't there do you honestly believe that there wouldn't be these demonstrations?