Lebanese protesters cut roads in separate areas of the country on Thursday, condemning the deteriorating living and economic conditions, amid a rise in the exchange rate of the dollar against the lira.
The Eastern Herald correspondents reported that dozens of protesters cut off the two directions in the Corniche of Mazraa, west of Beirut, while dozens of others crossed the highway in Khaldeh, south of the capital.
In the city of Sidon (south), dozens of protesters spread out in the middle of Ilya Square, while dozens organized a march in Nabatiyeh (south).
According to The Eastern Herald correspondents, the protesters raised the Lebanese flag during their marches, and chanted slogans rejecting banking and financial policies, and demanded “to drop the bank’s ruling”, “return smuggled and looted funds”, and “immediate or departure”, according to their description.
And in central Beirut, riot police prevented the demonstrators from crossing towards the Nejmeh Square, and a number of protesters tried to reach the entrance to the parliament, by removing a number of concrete walls surrounding its headquarters.
Also Read: Protests in Lebanon over the economic and social crisis
And west of Beirut, dozens of protesters roamed the areas around the Central Bank of Lebanon on Hamra Street, amidst a proliferation of security forces.
On Tuesday, the authorities announced that the price of partially subsidized bread was raised by 33 percent, and the army canceled meat entirely from meals served to the military, in an effort to cut costs, in line with the economic crisis facing the country.
Since October 17, 2019, Lebanon has been witnessing mass protests raising economic and political demands, which forced the Saad Hariri government to resign on the 29th of the same month, and was replaced by the Hassan Diab government on February 11.
