The Lebanese Army Wednesday clashed with protesters blocking a major highway connecting north Lebanon to the capital after it was blocked for the seventh day of nationwide protests against the ruling class.
Army soldiers and protesters clashed in two main points near Zouk Mosbeh and Jal al-Dib.
Hundreds of soldiers, who were forcibly attempting to open the road, carried away and pushed some protesters, who were joined by Metn MP Sami Gemayel. Many people were taken and arrested by the Army.
A similar situation happened earlier near Nahr al-Kalb.
“Stop acting,” one of the soldiers was heard shouting at a protester who had fainted and was lying on the ground.
{"preview_thumbnail":"https://cdn.flowplayer.com/6684a05f-6468-4ecd-87d5-a748773282a3/i/v-i-e…","video_id":"e3de3bec-9f93-4008-9479-b6a09b63a063","player_id":"8ca46225-42a2-4245-9c20-7850ae937431","provider":"flowplayer","video":"No Fake News Facebook Seeks to Educate The Voter on US 2020 Presidential Polls"}
The Army did not allow local TV station LBCI to film and made them move away from the scene. They also pressured TV station Al Jadeed to stop filming, but the reporter and crew refused.
“There are orders that you don’t film,” the soldier told the reporter.
One protester, who went back after the road was cleared and lied down on the street, was carried away by soldiers.
A similar incident took place in Sidon, where the Army also carried protesters away, with one protester passing out.
A number of roads were blocked in Beirut Wednesday morning.
“We’re blocking the road because we are demanding our rights,” Rabih al-Zein told The Daily Star while blocking a bridge connecting east and west Beirut.
Roads in Nabatieh, Jal al-Dib and Jbeil, Dahr al-Baidar and other areas across Lebanon were also blocked.
This article has been adapted from its original source.
