Protesters blocked the “Ring Bridge” in central Beirut Wednesday night, to voice their opposition to the expected designation of former premier Saad Hariri as the next prime minister.
Demonstrators had earlier protested near Hariri’s residence in Downtown Beirut, where they faced off pro-Hariri supporters with security forces separating the two parties.
Protesters called for Hariri to “leave,” ahead of binding parliamentary consultations set to take place Thursday, during which Hariri is almost certain to be named as premier, a year after nationwide mass protests led to the resignation of his government.
Angered protesters then moved to the area leading to Parliament, with posters that read “All of them means all of them, Hariri the first of them.”
A group of people, who local TV channel Al-Jadeed identified as pro-Hariri supporters, then set the “revolution fist” on fire, in addition to other symbols such as the symbolic phoenix statue.
The Future Movement later released a statement denying any involvement. The Internal Security Forces later said it arrested four people who participated in the burning of the statue.
The installation of the first Martyrs’ Square fist statue was previously set on fire by Amal Movement and Hezbollah supporters.
This article has been adapted from its original source.
