Chronicle of the protests in Lebanon January to June 2020

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The Chronicle of the Protests in Lebanon January to June 2020 records the events of the protests in Lebanon from January to June 2020.

Twelfth week (from January 2nd)

In protest against banking policy, several protesters stormed a bank in the city of Sidon on the morning of January 2, 2020. This sparked a clash with security forces and a number of people were injured in the rush.

A group of protesters gathered near the Port of Beirut and the Port of Tripoli on January 2, believed to be the main corruption-ridden state institutions in the country. “The revolution has not stopped, it has only just begun. The revolutionaries will continue their protests, ”the activist Charbel Qaii told LBCI. In the town of Zahlé in Bekaa, the National News Agency said several streets had been blocked by demonstrators, mainly in the center of Bekaa, Saabnayel, Taalabaya and Qob Elias. In the capital, a main street off Corniche al-Mazraa and in the neighborhood of Qasqas were briefly blocked by demonstrators. The night before, demonstrators briefly blocked a connection road to Baalbek. The protesters also called for the resignation of the new Lebanese Prime Minister Hassan Diab.

A number of activists gathered near the parliament building that evening to demand the formation of an independent government to carry out reforms. According to LBCI, the protesters are currently divided; some want to give the Prime Minister-designate the opportunity to form a cabinet, while others are completely against the formation of a government. After the vacation and relative calm, demonstrations against the political class and poor economic conditions in Lebanon returned on Friday as protesters voiced their anger over corruption and mismanagement, Naharnet wrote. Early on Friday (January 3rd) there was a fight between the Lebanese army and protesters who blocked the Nahr al-Kalb highway, an important link between Beirut and the north of the country, with burned tires and metal barriers. Clashes between a small group of demonstrators and security forces broke out on the same day in front of a bank in Halba ; the protesters threw stones at the security forces, who fired in the air to disperse them. Banks in the cities of Halba and al-Abdeh, Akkar District, were closed on Saturday (January 4) after a day of tension in one of the banks, where brawls took place and tear gas bombs were hurled. All banks have closed their doors "until further notice" due to a decision by the Lebanese Bankers Association. Anonymous demonstrators threw eggs on the door of a bank branch in the Bikfaya region on Saturday and sprayed the word "revolution" on the glass walls.

Commander of an elite Iranian unit killed in US attack
Hezbollah leader Nasrallah with Ali Chamene'i and Iranian Major General Qasem Soleimani (2019), commander of the al-Quds unit , a division of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard (IRGC) that conducts special operations outside of Iran

One event at the beginning of the year overshadowed the difficult formation of a government as well as the attitude of the demonstrators; the US military had killed one of the most senior Iranian military officers early Friday morning (January 3). Qasem Soleimani died in a drone attack on his motorcade at the airport in the Iraqi capital, Baghdad. Soleimani's force was recently mainly responsible for operations in Syria and Iraq. Your boss also acted as an important military advisor to the Syrian dictator Assad and Hezbollah in Lebanon. Lebanon must avoid the negative effects of the escalation of tensions in Iraq following the death of a top Iranian general near Baghdad by the United States, said Executive Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil on January 5. Meanwhile, thousands visited the Hezbollah memorial to the murdered commander of the al-Quds unit on Sunday .

There were mixed reactions in Lebanon to a speech by Hezbollah General Secretary Hassan Nasrallah on Sunday on the killing of Qasem Soleimani. A media activist who refused to be named said Nasrallah's speech was a "declaration of war" on the US. "How can the leader of a Lebanese party declare such a war?" Former MP Fares Saeed said, "Nasrallah's speech contains nothing new than a high-pitched tone, an attempt to call to arms and a declaration that Iran's reputation is in spite of the Soleimani's assassination still persists. ”“ The results won't change what happens, ”he said. “There is an American decision to block Iran.” Regarding the impact of the speech on internal affairs in Lebanon, he said: “Before and after the attack, Lebanon is ruled by Hezbollah and cannot protect Lebanon economically or financially before the crisis save from whom he suffers. "

Waiting for the government to be formed

On Sunday evening, when the nationwide uprising reached its 82nd day, roadblocks again followed in Lebanon, including on the Beirut ring bridge. One MP was forced to leave the restaurant. Diab is still struggling to overcome obstacles, The Daily Star wrote on Monday (January 6); "Faced with continued pressure to resign from anti-government demonstrators, Prime Minister-designate Hassan Diab is still struggling to overcome the remaining hurdles in representing the Christian and Sunni ethnic groups that are delaying the formation of a new government." Once again, Lebanon's financial institutions were the target of anger of protesters when they promised to keep up pressure on banks.

On Tuesday (January 7th) activists from Zahlé and Bekaa gathered near the Seraglio and the Ministry of Finance to block access for employees. “We are directed against the state institutions. This week we are protesting against the Treasury Department's policies, LibanPost and the unjustified taxes, ”one protester told the LBCI reporter. A student march from the Palace of Justice took place on January 8th under the motto uprising of the Lebanese universities ; it ended at the entrance to Parliament in Beirut. The demonstrators had numerous stops on their way; like the Lebanese university administration, Sodeco, the ring bridge, the banking association and the Martyrs Square. On January 8th, the state electricity company stopped the power supply in Tripoli. Dozens of demonstrators managed to enter the workshop, halls and offices of the electricity company, as well as the control center and operating room, demanding that the electricity be restored. Army personnel clashed with the demonstrators there, after which they managed to evacuate the building. Twelve people, including three military personnel, have been reported injured, according to the NNA.

13th week (from January 9th)

The demonstrations on the 85th day of the nationwide protests (January 9th) target offices of Electricité du Liban (EDL) across Lebanon. Arguments between army troops and activists who blocked the road on Friday night (10 January) broke out in protest against deteriorating electricity supply. Several of them were arrested after refusing to comply with army's demands to reopen the road. Protesters in Tripoli blocked the highway to Beddawi to protest the detention of a group of activists who were arrested overnight by the army, the National News Agency reported on Jan. 10. The protesters blocked the highway with burning tires and cement blocks and promised to keep the blockades on until the detainees were released.

Beirut City Council building

On Friday (January 10), brawls broke out in downtown Beirut between protesters calling for the resignation of the governor and mayor of Beirut and another group defending the use of anti-riot police Close to the municipal building a sit-in, accusing Beirut Governor Ziad Shebib, and Beirut Mayor Jamal Itani, of corruption and mismanagement. Security forces formed a human barrier between the two groups as protesters tossed empty bottles at each other and some stones were reported to injure a woman. Hundreds of protesters marched through the districts of Beirut on Saturday, the 87th day of the nationwide anti-government protests in Lebanon.

Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblat said in a tweet on Jan. 11, "The government has gone too far [in trying] to outsmart people and miss opportunities." He added, "As for Aoun's mandate and his As far as major allies are concerned, they have shown themselves to be arrogant and indifferent to the suffering of the people and the collapse of the state, and there is no way out for the country. overthrow the political class, but did not come up with a plan or seized power from within. "

On Saturday, January 11th, large numbers of people gathered in the Daoura district north of Beirut to march through the Beirut neighborhoods. One of the goals of the march was to fight the media blackout and reach the homes of all Lebanese people by having their voices heard through microphones rather than televisions. According to the Daleel Thawra Instagram report, this march "was the people's path to affirm opposition to the process of the current government formation, to deny disregard for human dignity, and to oppose the government's failure to improve living standards." Hundreds of leaflets were distributed on marches explaining the reason for their protest. The flyer said: We are dealing with a structural crisis and not just a government crisis. Any government that emerged from this system through the logic of denominational settlement must be rejected.

A number of protesters blocked the road in the area of ​​the Beirut ring bridge in both directions on Sunday evening (January 12), resulting in severe traffic congestion in the region. The stalemate in government formation contributed to the protests: the demonstrators called for the formation of a technocratic government to be accelerated and called on the authorities not to undermine the revolution and its demands, as they said. Fighting broke out on the ring road in central Beirut on Monday evening after security forces tried to reopen the road blocked by anti-government protesters. Meanwhile, several people were injured in quarrels between the army and demonstrators in Elia Square in Sidon. According to MTV, protesters blocked most of the inner-city streets after the brawl. Several arrests were made during the confrontation. In Tripoli, too, many roads were now closed. Although protests have declined across the country, demonstrations have been taking place since the beginning of the year, increasingly targeting banks and state institutions that are accused of driving the country into collapse.

Hamra Street in Beirut (2014)
Riots in Beirut's Hamra district (January 13-14)

Security forces arrested 59 people, police said Wednesday after clashes broke out overnight in front of the central bank as angry protesters unleashed their anger against the country's ruling elite and the deepening financial crisis. In the hour-long clashes on Tuesday evening, 47 police officers were injured, the security forces said, when some protesters smashed the windows of private banks in Beirut's main business district. On Tuesday, protesters gathered outside the central bank in the bustling Hamra neighborhood, denouncing the bank's governor and politics, which they say have only exacerbated the country's financial distress. The rally turned violent as protesters tried to get their way through security forces stationed outside the bank. In more than five hours of fierce street battles, security forces threw volleys of tear gas at the demonstrators, who responded with stones and fireworks. Some protesters used metal bars and sticks to break windows on commercial banks and currency exchange offices nearby. The clashes ended a pause in the three-month protests. This was the first time, after three months of protests, the Beirut commercial center has been the scene of clashes. The area, which also includes theaters and restaurants, was deserted except for demonstrators, police and smoke from the tear gas. A sit-in was held in front of the Al-Helo barracks on Wednesday (January 15) to show solidarity with those detained on Tuesday evening. When the security forces tried to reopen the road, there were clashes with the demonstrators.

The university professor Hassan Diab , charged with forming the government, had not succeeded in forming a new cabinet by mid-January 2020, which also led to the resurgence of the protests. Diab wants a government made up of technocrats, but the main political blocs are vying for influence in the background. The Shiite Hezbollah organization, which wants to maintain its influence, is particularly strong. In chants, the demonstrators called for the " overthrow of the regime " and a new government. Security forces used batons and tear gas to evict hundreds of protesters who gathered outside the Lebanese central bank for a second night on Wednesday before moving their demonstration to a police station where 50 people were still being held. "Another day of confusion over the formation of a government amid the increasingly angry protests and the free-falling economy," wrote Jan Kubis, the UN envoy for Lebanon, on Twitter on Wednesday. "Politicians, don't blame the people, blame yourself for this dangerous mess." The Red Cross reported that on Wednesday 45 people were injured, 35 were taken to nearby hospitals and 10 were treated on site. The state's National News Agency reported that some tear gas canisters fired by police had fallen into the Russian embassy, ​​which is located near the station where officers are holding prisoners.

14th week (from January 16th)

Destruction of shops after the violent protests in downtown Beirut in mid-January 2020

On Friday evening (January 17), there was a brief confrontation between anti-government protesters and security forces on Hamra Street in Beirut. The skirmishes began after some protesters hurled bottles, stones and fireworks at security guards outside the central bank, causing riot police to chase them to the end of Hamra Street. Some protesters had previously hurled Molotov cocktails and stones into the central bank's premises, while others removed the barbed wire. Al Jadeed TV reporter Adam Chamseddine was injured by a flying stone that hit him in the head at the demonstration. Demonstrations and protests also took place on the capital's ring road, in Tripoli and in Tire. In contrast to the violence of the last few days, the demos have remained peaceful. It was expected that Prime Minister-designate Hassan Diab would announce an 18-member cabinet on Friday. At the last minute, however, there were clashes between political groups that undermined his latest attempt. Protesters have already rejected the new cabinet, saying that the ministers, although it will be made up of experts, will be named after the factions they hold responsible for Lebanon's problems. The protest movement insists that the government be made up of independent technocrats.

Hundreds of people injured in rioting in Beirut

Almost 400 people were injured in fighting between Lebanese anti-government protesters and security forces in the capital, Beirut, on Saturday (January 18). According to the Red Cross and civil defense, at least 377 people were taken to hospitals or treated on site. Protesters called for a "week of" anger "after the economic crisis deepened as efforts to form a new government stalled. Clashes began on Saturday after dozens of demonstrators covered their faces with scarves, stones , Plant pots and other objects had thrown at the riot police guarding the road to Parliament. Others tried to break through barbed wire barriers to reach the Parliament building or stormed the police with traffic signs as weapons. The security forces responded with water cannons and tear gas to destroy them Crowd to disperse.

Protests in Beirut on January 19, 2020
Protests in downtown Beirut. You can see the barriers to the road to the parliament building

Human Rights Watch has called the internal security forces' response to the central demonstration in Beirut, which became violent on Saturday, "brutal" and called for an urgent end to what is termed the "culture of impunity" for police abuse. "There was no justification for the brutal use of force by the Lebanese riot police against largely peaceful protesters in downtown Beirut," said Michael Page, deputy director for the Middle East at HRW. "The riot police have openly disregarded their human rights ties, firing tear gas canisters at protesters' heads instead, firing rubber bullets in their eyes and attacking people in hospitals and a mosque," he said.

Ján Kubiš

"Politicians, do not blame the people, but yourselves for this chaos," wrote the UN envoy for Lebanon, Ján Kubiš , on Twitter. Those responsible just watch the economic collapse. At the same time, Kubis condemned the violence on the streets. Vandalism is never appropriate to demonstrate the legitimate anger and desperation of protesters.

Security forces fired rubber bullets, tear gas, pepper spray and water cannons at protesters in central Beirut on Sunday after nearly 400 people were injured in the most violent clashes that rocked the country since October 17. Some demonstrators had accused the riot police with metal barriers and bars. Some of them later started throwing stones and fireworks at riot police guarding Nejmeh Square, and at least four people were injured by rubber bullets, including Al Jazeera reporter Ihab al-Oqdeh and Al Jadeed cameraman Mohammed al -Samra. The Lebanese Red Cross said ten people had been wounded by 7 p.m.

After the formation of the new government , various protest groups gathered in Tripoli and downtown Beirut. Social media and WhatsApp messages call for nationwide general strikes. Roads have been blocked in Baddawi, Minnieh and Dinnieh in the north, Taalabaya in the Bekaa Plain, and in several locations in and around Beirut. Protesters are demanding more road closures and another general strike. On Wednesday (January 22), protesters attacked metal barriers erected to protect the Lebanese parliament, threw stones and broken cement sheets at riot police, who responded with tear gas and water cannons around the country just a day after a new government was formed to save from a worsening financial crisis. "We want all politicians to go," said one demonstrator. “We want someone from the revolution to represent us. This is a Hezbollah government. "

15th week (from January 23rd)

Some protesters in the Lebanese capital Beirut appear to have political reasons to undermine security and stability, said Jan Kubis, UN special coordinator for Lebanon, on Thursday (January 23). "This seems to be more of a political manipulation to provoke the security forces, undermine civil peace and incite sectarian disputes," wrote Kubis on Twitter and mentioned attacks on security forces and vandalism of state institutions and private property. In another tweet, Kubis praised the presence of six women in the newly formed Lebanese government . “Don't let political considerations detract from an important positive performance: 6 women in government mean 30%, a woman for the first time as deputy prime minister and defense minister. Help them be successful and judge them based on their results, ”he said. “Women continue to lead the peaceful revolution. It is now up to the ministers to guide the work of government to address people's aspirations and needs and make a real difference, ”he added.

The anti-government uprising in Lebanon begins its 100th day on Friday (January 24), when protesters are in a much darker mood, which is reflected in their new protest cry, Hamza Hendawi wrote. The anger and violence are a far cry from the peaceful rallies held across the country in the previous months when people called for the elimination of an entrenched political class accused of corruption and mismanagement leading to an economic crisis. The violent protests continued after the appointment of a new government on Tuesday, says the author; the formation of the government did not calm the demonstrators.

If the new government, led by Prime Minister Diab, does not immediately tackle serious reforms that will boost the confidence of the Lebanese public, the fires in Lebanon are likely to continue for some time, wrote conflict researcher Nick Grinstead. In the face of protests immediately following the cabinet announcement, the new government will have a difficult job of satisfying the protesters, the external creditors with whom it must restructure its debt, and the domestic and foreign interests of the political parties that have supported it deliver.

Anti-government protesters in the southern city of Nabatieh unveiled a Fist of the Revolution statue on Friday to commemorate 100 days since the popular uprising on October 17. The ceremony took place amid tight security by the army and domestic security forces, as Hezbollah and AMAL supporters held a rival demonstration on the ground and slogans in support of Hezbollah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah and spokesman Nabih Berri. Interior Minister Mohammed Fahmi announced on Friday the arrest of two people who had taken action against the fight against corruption in front of the Council for the South in the Jnah suburb of Beirut. Fahmi had previously condemned "the barbaric behavior that peaceful demonstrators, including women, faced on the way to a sit-in outside the Council for the South."

On Saturday (25 January) protesters in front of the Southern Council building were followed and beaten by guards from the Southern Lebanon Council in the Bir Hassan region. Several marches through the streets of Beirut took place on Saturday (25 January) under the motto No Trust in the New Government . Protesters marched to the parliament building from Dora, Verdun, Sassine Square and other streets in Beirut.

Blocking off the road to the parliament building in Beirut

In the past few days there have been several developments that have led to divisions among protesters, Leila Molana-Allen wrote. The question arises, so the opinion of observers, is whether the recent violence is a reason to hold back or should developments make it more determined? Or should they allow the new government to make changes, or should the new members of the government be equated with the old guard? The answers to these questions will determine how and whether the protest movement will continue, said Lina Boubess, who became an icon of the Lebanese protest movement in the fall of 2019 when a photo of her was released trying to get arrest prevent.

The Maronite Patriarch Béchara Pierre Raï said on Sunday (January 26) that the new government was facing a “tough test” by simultaneously welcoming the “peaceful uprising” of Lebanese youth. "The new government is facing a tough test because it has taken a difficult risk on behalf of the people and young people who have lost confidence after successive disappointments of politicians and officials," said the patriarch in his Sunday sermon. “Even so, the government must be supported and held accountable for the results of its actions. This does not mean the end of the revolution, as many think, but rather that it monitors and demands, ”added the Patriarch. He stressed that the government had to "regain the lost confidence" and welcomed the "peaceful and civilized uprising of young men and women in all Lebanese regions". "We express our solidarity with them and appreciate their sacrifice and efforts because they want to turn a black page of our national life and write a new story," continued the Patriarch.

Nejmeh Square and the Parliament Building in downtown Beirut
Clashes in front of Parliament

The protest movement called on Monday (January 27) on the occasion of the session of parliament to new demonstrations and sit-in strikes in the area of ​​the parliament building, which was increasingly placed under protection by the security forces. The parliamentary session, which was originally scheduled for mid-November last year, but has been postponed several times due to protests that began in mid-October, is the first real institutional and political review of the government led by Hassan Diab , who took office a few days earlier (January 21) had started. The authorities decided to close the main roads to the center of Beirut, in particular Martyrs Square, Riad Solh Square and the streets that lead to the central Place de l'Étoile, where the Parliament is located. Protesters threw stones and metal barricades at security guards blocking a street near Parliament on Monday before the announced budget debate broke out. Before the parliamentary session, there were clashes between demonstrators and security forces in downtown Beirut.

Hundreds of soldiers, including special forces and riot police, were deployed on main roads in the capital and its suburbs. They had cordoned off the area that led to parliament to prevent demonstrators from blocking the legislature's path. The protesters, in turn, had blocked roads further away to prevent lawmakers from reaching the building, but security forces managed to keep a single road open.

Lockdown of the government district in Beirut
  • Blocked roads Beirut 26 January 2020 3.jpg
  • Blocked roads Beirut 26 January 2020 4.jpg
  • Blocked roads Beirut 26 January 2020 5.jpg

  • Grand Seraglio

  • Blocked roads Beirut 26 January 2020 9.jpg

Anti-government protesters flocked to Martyrs' Square in downtown Beirut on Tuesday (January 28) to help their comrades block the streets that were reopened by security forces. The streets through the protest camp had been closed by security forces since the first days of the October 17 riot. Security forces removed the metal barriers and reopened the road from the an-Nahar newspaper building to the Mohammed al-Amin mosque . Interior Minister Mohammed Fahmi's media office issued a statement denying what had been said on social media about a security decision by the minister to end the sit-in in downtown Beirut, which indicated the iron barriers at the entrances Martyrs Square were removed, which should facilitate traffic in the capital.

Destroyed shop windows after the violent riots in downtown Beirut

While the protests have already brought about some important changes, it is becoming increasingly difficult to see how all of their demands can be met, Habib Battah wrote for Al Jazeera . "Apart from a reasonable demand for a change of government and a vague fight against corruption, these demands also include a far less realistic demand for the country's entire political system to be abolished and for a previously elected political party to be prevented from going into government." If you want to see significant political and social change, the author believes, "they should resist the urge to lapse into simplistic statements and demagoguery that will only undermine the protest movement and its impressive gains."

16th week (from January 30th)

In recent protests, protesters chanted slogans such as “No Trust” and “We Will Not Pay the Tribute” to express their opposition to the Diab government , which they see as a mere tactic by Hezbollah and its allies to counter the demands undermine popular reform. The protesters have no confidence in them and say that although a government of technocrats has been formed, the previous parties have brought in their own people with new faces. Tarek Itani, a lawyer and human rights activist in Beirut, told Voice of America that nothing has changed . Itani said the protesters' main demand was to hold new general elections and form an entirely new government capable of tackling tangible reforms. “We have no confidence in the current political system. The Lebanese people no longer want to pay the price for the corruption of the political parties and their mismanagement of the country's financial resources, ”Itani said.

It is unfortunate to hear that some are ready to destroy all state structures in order to achieve their goals, which has led to the violent and tragic overthrow of so many opposition movements in the region. It will take research and constant commitment to locate problems and come up with specific proposals in order to gain the support of the majority of the population. Some have been working on it for years. Your efforts should be encouraged and not dismissed as weak or even treasonous. "One of the greatest goods of the revolution was a renewed sense of defiance against ruling elites and demands for their accountability," summarizes Battah. "But who can be held accountable when nobody is in office?"

Remnants of an installation on Martyrs Square in Beirut

In the opinion of activist and AUB professor Carmen Geha, the current system is still deeply rooted, but despite these facts and in the face of seemingly insurmountable obstacles - both at national and regional level - the October Revolution made more progress than in just three months any other political actor could have achieved in the 30 years after the end of the civil war in 1989. The ongoing revolution has successfully challenged every pillar that has kept this existing political class in power for the past three decades. This is “an anti-system revolution that will bring about systemic changes in the way we understand and experience politics. It survived and withstood efforts to counter this. "

Hundreds of Lebanese people marched through the streets of the capital on Saturday (February 1) to protest against the new government named to deal with the economic crisis. The protest marches, which took place in different parts of Beirut on Saturday and took place in Riad el-Solh Square in downtown Beirut, ended without confrontation or provocation between protesters and members of the security forces. The exception was a number of demonstrators who wanted to climb the wall erected by the security forces at the entrances to Nejmeh Square and the Seraglio in order to overcome the barriers between the people and the authorities.

Art installation on Mäyrtyrerplatz in Beirut

As the nationwide protests in Lebanon reached their 109th day on February 2, hundreds of people took to the streets in downtown Beirut to display works of revolutionary art. Activists protested in solidarity with the judiciary outside the Palace of Justice in Beirut on Monday (February 3rd) to demand their full independence. The demonstrators want to protest in front of the Palace of Justice under the motto Monday of Justice .

The investigating magistrate of Mount Lebanon District, Bassam al-Hajj, ordered the release of the protest movement activist Rabih al-Zein on Monday (February 3) on bail of LBP 100,000. He referred the file to the prosecutor. Activists Charbel Qai and Imad al-Masri have since been questioned as witnesses and released. In the meantime, arrest warrants have been issued for Jihad al-Ali and Joe Challita following the interrogation. Judge al-Hajj charged al-Zein on January 29 with “inciting” the recent burning of an ATM at the Credit Libanais Bank in Zouk and a Molotov cocktail attack on the Free Patriotic Movement office in Jounieh. Anti-government protesters Georges Azzi and Mohammed Srour were arrested in the same case and remained in custody.

17th week (from February 6th)

Art action on Beirut Märtyrerplatz (February 2, 2020)
: Protests in downtown Beirut (February 10, 2020)

Opponents of the government from several regions gathered in Jounieh on Thursday evening (6 February) to denounce the attacks by supporters of MP Ziad Aswad ( Free Patriotic Movement ) on protesters at night. A video shows the followers beating and insulting a young man. Aswad had accused some media outlets of falsifying facts in their coverage of the incident earlier on Thursday. "Three cars arrived where I was and one of my bodyguards was injured after being run over," tweeted Aswad, who was having dinner at a seaside restaurant in Jounieh, when the confrontation broke out. "They tried to storm the place and one was carrying a visible weapon that was handed over to the Ghazir Police Station, which turned out to be a semi-real weapon," Aswad said.

The first investigating magistrate of Mount Lebanon District, Bassam al-Hajj, issued an arrest warrant for Rabih al-Zein on Friday (February 7), although the protester was unable to attend an interrogation for health reasons, the National News Agency reported.

Despite a cold storm that saw temperatures plummet in Lebanon, protesters started a march on Saturday (February 8) in which they opposed Prime Minister Hassan Diab's new government, named for dealing with an economic crisis. Protesting themed with suspicion , protesters marched through the streets of Beirut near the Interior Ministry in Hamra, then went to the central bank and parliament in downtown Beirut. Supported by the two main blocs in parliament, the government expects a vote of confidence on Tuesday , which it is expected to receive. But, according to the protesters, the Diab government is a continuation of the policies of traditional parties, which they denounce as corrupt.

Protests in downtown Beirut (February 10, 2020)

Protesters from various Lebanese regions took to the streets on Tuesday (February 11) to protest a session of parliament that held a vote of confidence in the new government and discussed the policy statement. Protesters tried to block roads to prevent ministers and MPs from reaching parliament. Clashes broke out between security forces and protesters, who knocked over huge blocks of cement and sprayed them with water cannons and tear gas. The security forces urged the demonstrators to “peacefully” hold the demonstrations and to stay away from cement blocks and barbed wire roads leading to the Parliament building in Nejmeh Square. A group of protesters surrounded Environment Minister Demianos Qattar's car as he was on his way to the nearby government headquarters and threw eggs at it, which it punched with their fists before an army and police pushed them away.

The Lebanese parliament met for a vote of confidence on the new government on Tuesday (February 11) when protesters outside clashed with security forces who used tear gas and water cannons to disperse them. According to the Red Cross, a total of 373 people were treated for tear gas exposure and other injuries, including 45 people who were hospitalized. The protesters also attacked MP Salim Saadeh, who received minor injuries. "Does the protest movement accept the attack on colleague Salim Saadeh?" Asked Parliament President Nabih Berri during the parliamentary session. The protesters also attacked a cameraman who worked for the local OTV television station operated by loyalists to President Michel Aoun . Since the protests began almost four months ago, journalists have been attacked by both government supporters and opponents. The protesters later destroyed the fronts of the Le Gray Hotel near Parliament and caused significant property damage. Near one of the entrances, supporters of the Amal movement attacked some demonstrators to force them to clear the way; Security forces then separated the two groups.

Progress of the protests (February / March 2020)

In the following weeks, smaller groups continued the protests without, however, reaching the mobilization of the previous months. For example, on Saturday (February 22nd) a group of demonstrators in Beirut organized a march from Sassine Square to Parliament. The march expressed the rejection of the new government by protesters under the slogan You will pay the price . A number of protesters held a sit-in outside the Swiss embassy in Beirut on March 3 to demand the return of funds transferred abroad and to enact the necessary laws to restore them. They also said they are relying on the role of the Supreme Judicial Council to get these funds back.

Hundreds of protesters marched through the streets of Antelias and Beirut on Thursday (March 5th) to call for early elections and for the government to take action as the exchange rate between the US dollar and the Lebanese pound surpassed LL 2,600.

Increasing tensions in the wake of the corona crisis (from April 27, 2020)

Violent clashes broke out in the northern Lebanese city of Tripoli on Monday evening (April 27) when angry anti-government protesters destroyed the facades of several banks and set an army vehicle on fire. There were violent clashes between units of the Lebanese army and demonstrators, and soldiers are following them in the streets and neighborhoods around Al Nour Square, particularly those who destroyed and set fire to the facades and ATMs of several banks, the said National News Agency with. She found that several people were injured in the clashes. The protesters also spread to the Bab al-Tabbaneh area, where protesters blocked Syria Street - a major public road connecting the area to al-Qobbeh and Akkar province. The protesters also smashed the facade of a bank on el-Mina Boulevard while shouting slogans denouncing the price hike and the dollar. The incidents prompted the Lebanon Bankers Association to announce that the banks in Tripoli will remain closed until "security returns" to the city. Hundreds of protesters also gathered outside the house of MP Faisal Karami in the city, where another confrontation with the army took place.

The protests in Tripoli against the growing economic hardship spread to other Lebanese cities on April 28th. The banks went up in flames and the violence spilled over into a second night. The shutdown to fight the new corona virus has worsened the economic situation. Protesters in Tripoli on Tuesday set fire to banks and shattered their facades, causing the army to fire rubber bullets and tear gas. The violence resulted in the death of a man in his twenties, according to a security source. So far it has not been clarified who was responsible for his death.

The Austrian Vice Chancellor Michael Spindelegger in conversation with the then Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati in Beirut (2013)

A demonstration also took place in front of the home of former Prime Minister Najib Miqati , who was accused of wrongly receiving multi-million dollar subsidized housing loans, which the latter rejects. According to doctors, over 47 people were injured in the clashes on Tuesday evening, including four soldiers. The Lebanese pound has lost more than half of its value against the dollar on the black market, hitting a record low of £ 4,000 against the dollar in the last week of April. Economy Minister Raoul Nehmé said on Tuesday that prices rose 55 percent, while the government estimates 45 percent of the population is now below the poverty line . This has sparked public outcry against the government. She is accused of still not having submitted a bailout plan to support the country's finances more than three months after taking office to cope with the crisis. On Tuesday evening, Finance Minister Ghazi Wazni tweeted that his French counterpart Bruno Le Maire had supported a rescue plan, but emphasized the need for long-overdue structural reforms.

US Ambassador to Lebanon Dorothy C. Shea tweeted that the Lebanese people's frustration with the economic crisis “is understandable and the protesters' demands are justified. But incidents of violence, threats and property destruction are deeply worrying and need to stop ”.

Hundreds of Lebanese gathered outside the central bank in Beirut and elsewhere in the country on Friday (May 1), the day after the prime minister announced he would seek a bailout from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to cope with a deepening economic and financial crisis To finish. Protesters criticized the government's handling of the unprecedented crisis in which the local currency collapsed, devastating savings, and soaring prices and inflation. Fighting broke out in front of a private bank and troops were seen beating at least one demonstrator and pulling away. The government is not even able to meet basic needs, said a demonstrator in Beirut. There were also rallies in north and south Lebanon on International Labor Day. Prime Minister Hassan Diab signed the official application for support from the IMF on Friday. He said the government had taken "the first step in rescuing Lebanon from the deep financial pit". On Thursday, the Diab cabinet passed a long-awaited rescue plan.

Negotiations between the Lebanese government and the International Monetary Fund began in May . This calls for reforms to put an end to corruption in order to issue the foreign aid worth around ten billion dollars.

Renewed demonstrations and protests (June 2020)

Burned out commercial building in downtown Beirut after the June protests
Violent protests in Beirut (June 6)

Following the withdrawal of the exit restrictions imposed by the Diab government in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic in Lebanon , protesters took to the streets again on Saturday 6 June to discuss the management of the Lebanese government during the severe economic crisis outraged. Security forces fired tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse the protesters.

If the demonstration was still peaceful, clashes between demonstrators, counter-protesters and security forces increasingly developed. Protesters burned rubbish bins, looted a furniture store in the capital's upscale shopping district and erected street barricades. According to Al Jazeera , the main demands of the protesters were a new electoral law that would bring about profound change and the independence of the country's judiciary. Elsewhere there were further clashes between the police and the military on the one hand and demonstrators who oppose the Shiite Hezbollah and the Amal movement on the other.

Anti-government protesters rallied and blocked roads in several Lebanese regions on June 9 when the US dollar hit a record high of around 4,500  Lebanese pound (LBP) on the black market . In Tripoli , a protest outside the home of ex-minister Ashraf Rifi escalated when shots were fired after demonstrators tried to storm the guards' premises. Protesters also gathered outside an office of ex-Prime Minister Najib Miqati in the city; Elsewhere, protesters blocked the highway between Tripoli and Akkar in the Bab al-Tabbaneh and al-Beddawi areas and organized a march on Tripoli. Meanwhile, the residents of Minieh, Deir Amar and al-Beddawi gathered in front of the Deir Amar power station to protest against a power outage that had lasted several days .

Renewed road blockades (from June 11th)
Destruction of a commercial building in downtown Beirut after the June protests

Protests erupted on Thursday June 11 when the dollar was reportedly sold on the black market at a historic rate of LBP 7,000 . In the center of Beirut , protesters gathered in front of the headquarters of the banking association before blocking Saifi and the ring road. The streets were also blocked in the numerous suburbs of the capital. In Sidon, protesters threw Molotov cocktails at the branch of the central bank. Protesters also tried to storm central bank branches in Tripoli and Tire.

Protests between Lebanese security forces and protesters against deteriorating economic and living conditions continued overnight on Friday, June 12, when President Michel Aoun spoke of a plan to strengthen the national currency. Protesters threw stones and fireworks at the police, and security forces responded with tear gas to disperse the crowd, which continued to grow until late Friday hours. The protests and sit-in strikes continued on Saturday (June 13) in different regions such as Jounieh, Zouk, Beirut, Sidon, Tire and Nabatiyeh. In the Bab el-Tabbaneh district of Tripoli, clashes between groups of young men and army units broke out on June 13, in which 23 have been injured, including four soldiers. These confrontations were sparked when a group of young men from the neighborhood intercepted large trucks loaded with groceries for Syria. The allegation was that the Lebanese people were more entitled to this food due to the hunger affecting their residents due to high unemployment. During the clashes, stones were thrown at army units, who responded with tear gas to the demonstrators while other demonstrators walked several streets, including a. to the Tabbaneh highway, blocked with burning tires.

On Wednesday (June 24th), protesters across the country took to the streets again to denounce the dire economic and financial situation. The protests took place on the eve of a national meeting convened by President Michel Aoun , which was boycotted by most opposition parties. In Beirut, demonstrators blocked the ring road, which has become a symbol of the anti-government protest movement. They later broke out between them and riot police, which, according to al-Jadeed TV, resulted in injuries. Other protesters have now gathered in front of the central bank in Hamra. There were further road blockades in the Bekaa plain, in Tripoli, Halba, Nabatieh and in Sidon.

Individual evidence

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