Police firing tear gas, rubber bullets and water cannons battled thousands of Lebanese protesters demonstrating against government corruption and political dysfunction amid a trash crisis, with the sound of gunfire echoing through the streets into the night.
Riot police used batons to beat back protesters yesterday among downtown Beirut's Ottoman-era buildings and lavish apartment complexes, while others were carried away, overcome by tear gas. Private television station LBC reported police attacked one of its crew.
"The people want to topple the regime!" protesters cried out, a slogan used during the Arab Spring protests that swept through the region.
Lebanese Red Cross spokesman George Kattaneh told The Associated Press that at least 15 protesters were wounded, one of them in critical condition. He said the numbers likely would rise as security forces battled with protesters into the night.
Police said 35 officers were wounded as they tried to disperse protesters trying to break into a security zone near parliament and the government building.
Yesterday saw the biggest demonstrations by far since garbage began piling up on the streets after the capital's main landfill was closed a month ago. An online group calling itself "You Stink!" and other civil society groups organised the rallies, calling on Lebanese to join them in a revolt against the corrupt system. They said they plan to stay in downtown Beirut near the government building and parliament.
"We want to live in our country," read one poster carried by a protester. Another read: "Some trash should NOT be recycled," written in red above photos of Lebanese politicians.
The government has been unable to find an alternative system for waste management, amid government paralysis and bickering among politicians.
Some residents have resorted to burning trash on the streets, sending toxic fumes over the city's skyline and into homes. The health minister has warned of a catastrophe as some have started dumping trash in valleys, rivers and near the sea.
The protest began in Riyad Solh Square near the government building. Police fired tear gas and water cannons to beat back protesters after some of them tried to push through a security cordon. The protesters later moved to the nearby Martyrs' Square and pledged to stay the night.
Heavy gunfire could be heard as the clashes continued. Interior Minister Mohammad Machnouk, currently abroad, told the private Al-Jadeed television station that those who opened fire with live ammunition would be held accountable. He also pledged to resolve the trash crisis at next week's Cabinet meeting.
