Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

Protests over taxes threaten Lebanon's political establishment

Protests over taxes threaten Lebanon's political establishment

Leader of a major party suggests prime minister should join him in resigning as massive demonstrations rock the country.

Beirut, Lebanon - Thousands of Lebanese took to the streets in towns and cities across the country on Thursday, in the biggest protests in years, following the government's announcement to introduce new taxes.

The intensity of the protests brought into question whether the government appointed less than a year ago, would survive.

One of the country's main politicians, the leader of the Progressive Socialist Party told him they were "in a big predicament".

"I would prefer if we resign together," he told Prime Minister Saad Hariri.

Interior Minister Raya El Hassan warned that the country itself could collapse if the government falls.

The protests come amid a worsening economic and financial crisis in Lebanon that many blame on the small number of sectarian politicians who have ruled the country since its 15-year civil war came to an end in 1990.

They also come just two days after the worst forest fires in more than 10 years, causing outrage among citizens who blamed the government's shortcomings for the scale of the damage.

As the ground still smouldered across much of the country Lebanon's cabinet agreed on Wednesday to impose a $0.20 fee on WhatsApp calls per day, and was debating whether to hike value-added tax from 11 to 15 percent.

"It was the last straw," 41-year-old Rami told Al Jazeera, as men threw wood ripped from a nearby construction site onto a bonfire in the middle of the capital's main thoroughfare. "The people were already at the edge barely holding on. The WhatsApp issue broke whatever they were still holding on to."

Several big fires burned on main roads, as black smoke rose above Beirut's iconic blue Mohammad Al-Amin Mosque and the towering St George Church, in an apocalyptic twist to the postcard-perfect image of the country's sectarian co-existence.

"Thank God, the people have awoken," Rami said.


'Too little, too late'

Protesters were also outraged when bodyguards accompanying Education Minister Akram Chehayeb shot into the air with assault rifles earlier in the evening, a move Chehayeb later said was "necessary."

As people filled the streets, Telecoms Minister Mohammed Choucair announced the reversal of the WhatsApp decision based on a request by the prime minister.

But it was too little, too late.

The country ground to a standstill with demonstrations from Tripoli and Byblos also known as Jbeil in the north to Baalbek and Taalabaya in the eastern Bekaa Valley and Nabatieh and Tyre in the south.

In Nabatieh, hundreds of men headed to the homes of local parliament members, including Yassine Jaber and Hani Qobeissi of the Amal Movement - headed by Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri - and the leader of Hezbollah's parliamentary bloc, Mohammad Raad.

"Speaker Berri's appetite hasn't been satisfied in 30 years," one man, who identified himself as a father of two, told reporters in Nabatieh.

Many took to the streets for the first time.

"We always used to follow on Facebook and social media, but now we're really fed up," Mohammad al-Mubayed told Al Jazeera, standing behind his wife, Sara in Beirut's Riad al-Solh Square near parliament.

"We saw people were in the streets and felt that we just couldn't stay home."

Similarly, 16-year-old protester Fatima had never been to the streets before and was only 12 when the last big rallies erupted in the capital in 2015 over the politicians' mismanagement of solid waste.

Like many Lebanese who leave the country in search of better opportunities, Fatima and her family have been trying for years to head to Europe, but have been unsuccessful.

Now she said the protests had reinvigorated her. "I feel like I can do something here," she said.


Demand for change

The nationwide protests began with dozens of people chanting for revolution in Beirut's main square.

As thousands of people joined them they marched around the capital's streets, blocking roads.

For about 10 hours, protesters remained on the streets until they were violently dispersed by baton-wielding riot police, who fired rubber-coated bullets and shot tear gas.

The security forces also destroyed tens of motorcycles parked along roadways belonging to protesters and hit several TV cameramen covering the demonstrations.

"Now that the people are all against them, they realise that it's getting out of their control, so they've taken the decision to end it with heavy force," Ali, 34, said from Martyr's Square, as riot police approached.

Some protesters had also lobbed stones at security forces, and grew increasingly destructive throughout the night, lighting fires, destroying billboards and tearing signs out of pavements.

Two men residing in a residential building in the centre of Beirut reportedly died as a result of suffocation from a fire lit by protesters in the building.

The Lebanese Red Cross said it had rushed 22 people to hospitals and treated 70 on the ground during the protests, while the Internal Security Forces said 60 police officers were injured.

All schools, universities and banks were expected to remain closed on Friday as a new wave of protests was expected.

"I'm not here for myself," Ahmad Halawi, aged 35, from south Lebanon said. "I have two children. I'm here because I want them to have a future and a country to grow up in. I really hope that this is the end of people blindly following traditional parties. There has to be change in this country."

AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
France Faces New Political Crisis, again, as Prime Minister Bayrou Pushed Out
Nayib Bukele Points Out Belgian Hypocrisy as Brussels Considers Sending Army into the Streets
France, at an Impasse, Heads Toward Another Government Collapse
The Country That Got Too Rich? Public Spending Dominates Norway Election
EU Proposes Phasing Out Russian Oil and Gas by End of 2027 to End Energy Dependence
More Than 150,000 Followers for a Fictional Character: The New Influencers Are AI Creations
EU Prepares for War
Trump Threatens Retaliatory Tariffs After EU Imposes €2.95 Billion Fine on Google
Tesla Board Proposes Unprecedented One-Trillion-Dollar Performance Package for Elon Musk
Gold Could Reach Nearly $5,000 if Fed Independence Is Undermined, Goldman Sachs Warns
Uruguay, Colombia and Paraguay Secure Places at 2026 World Cup
Trump Administration Advances Plans to Rebrand Pentagon as Department of War Instead of the Fake Term Department of Defense
Big Tech Executives Laud Trump at White House Dinner, Unveil Massive U.S. Investments
Tether Expands into Gold Sector with Profit-Driven Diversification
‘Looks Like a Wig’: Online Users Express Concern Over Kate Middleton
Florida’s Vaccine Revolution: DeSantis Declares War on Mandates
Trump’s New War – and the ‘Drug Tyrant’ Fearing Invasion: ‘1,200 Missiles Aimed at Us’
"The Situation Has Never Been This Bad": The Fall of PepsiCo
At the Parade in China: Laser Weapons, 'Eagle Strike,' and a Missile Capable of 'Striking Anywhere in the World'
The Fashion Designer Who Became an Italian Symbol: Giorgio Armani Has Died at 91
Putin Celebrates ‘Unprecedentedly High’ Ties with China as Gazprom Seals Power of Siberia-2 Deal
China Unveils New Weapons in Grand Military Parade as Xi Hosts Putin and Kim
Rapper Cardi B Cleared of Liability in Los Angeles Civil Assault Trial
Google Avoids Break-Up in U.S. Antitrust Case as Stocks Rise
Couple celebrates 80th wedding anniversary at assisted living facility in Lancaster
Information Warfare in the Age of AI: How Language Models Become Targets and Tools
The White House on LinkedIn Has Changed Their Profile Picture to Donald Trump
"Insulted the Prophet Muhammad": Woman Burned Alive by Angry Mob in Niger State, Nigeria
Trump Responds to Death Rumors – Announces 'Missile City'
Druzhba Pipeline Incident Sparks Geopolitical Tensions
Cost of Opposition Leader Péter Magyar's Economic Plan Revealed
Germany in Turmoil: Ukrainian Teenage Girl Pushed to Death by Illegal Iraqi Migrant
United Krack down on human rights: Graham Linehan Arrested at Heathrow Over Three X Posts, Hospitalised, Released on Bail with Posting Ban
Asian and Middle Eastern Investors Avoid US Markets
Ray Dalio Warns of US Shift to Autocracy
Eurozone Inflation Rises to 2.1% in August
Russia and China Sign New Gas Pipeline Deal
Von der Leyen's Plane Hit by Suspected Russian GPS Interference in an Incident Believed to Be Caused by Russia or by Pro-Peace or by Anti-Corruption European Activists
China's Robotics Industry Fuels Export Surge
Suntory Chairman Resigns After Police Probe
Gold Price Hits New All-Time Record
UK Fintechs Explore Buying US Banks
Greece Suspends 5% of Schools as Birth Rate Drops
Apollo to Launch $5 Billion Sports Investment Vehicle
Bolsonaro Trial Nears Close Amid US-Brazil Tension
European Banks Push for Lower Cross-Border Barriers
Poland's Offshore Wind Sector Attracts Investors
Budapest Central European Fashion Week Kicks Off
U.S. Celebrates Labor Day
Hungarian National Team Captain Scores Epic Goal
×