anger at new taxes in Beirut

By Laure Stephan Posted today at 11:30, updated at 13:52

Time to Reading 2 min.

Clouds of smoke, caused by the ignition of tires or garbage cans, were emerging over Beirut early Friday, October 18, after a night of demonstrations, enamelled violence. In these hours of near-insurgency in the Lebanese capital, two Syrian workers died, trapped by the fire that reached the building where they were, according to the National News Agency. Dozens of people were injured.

Exasperated by the announcement on Thursday night by the coalition government led by Saad Hariri, that new taxes were being prepared – on WhatsApp calls, cigarettes or gasoline – Lebanese found themselves in the city center Beirut, close to the seat of government and Parliament, surrounded by an important security device. The bodyguard of a minister fired in the air to repel the protesters who were blocking the convoy, before being fired by the politician.

The influx, spontaneous, grew steadily during the evening. This is the biggest protest movement since 2015, when the scandal of waste management drove Lebanese into the streets. "Thieves! ", "The people want the fall of the regime! " "Revolution! "have chanted thousands of demonstrators, denouncing the corruption and negligence of the political class. Young women and young men, the majority of them, from diverse communities and from all backgrounds, beautiful neighborhoods or popular suburbs.

"The tax announcement on WhatsApp is the spark. Everything is expensive in Lebanon, we can not take it anymore! We're fed up with the mess of the political class! ", testifies Hassan, 22, came from the southern suburbs.

On the financial rope

The announcement in the evening that the tax on WhatsApp calls, widely used in Lebanon, was going to be withdrawn, did not defuse the sling. "It's all the corruption we can not stand anymore. The lack of prospects for galloping unemployment. If you want a change, there is only the street to get it! ", says Roy, from Kaslik, north of Beirut.

Away from the rally, young people burned tires on one of Beirut's main thoroughfares. On other axes, the same scenes were repeated. Anger spread to Tripoli in the North, or to Nabatiyah and Tire in the South. Posters from political parties were burned. In Beirut, the police finally dispersed the crowd on Friday morning, with tear gas, after being hit for several hours throwing projectiles by some demonstrators.

Saad Hariri was due to speak Friday, Interior Minister Raya Al-Hassan said. On the Al-Mayadeen pan-Arab chain, she ruled out a resignation from the government: "The government is trying to help Lebanese citizens avoid a collapse. "

Lebanon is on the financial tightrope. The population fears a devaluation of the Lebanese pound. The government, which is preparing the budget for the year 2020, is tightening the screws. "Why not tax correctly the richest, the banks? Why would the middle class and the poor pay the bill? "wondered a university professor on Thursday night. A call to the general strike was launched for 14 hours this Friday. The schools have remained closed following a decision by the authorities, while open hours are uncertain.