Protesters pour into Beirut demanding government resignation

Some protesters suffered smoke inhalation and were taken away by ambulances for treatment.

Lebanese Red Cross spokesman George Kattaneh told Hezbollah’s Al-Manar television channel that the violence over the weekend wounded 44 people who required hospital care, while some 200 others received medical treatment on the spot.

Lebanese protesters postponed an anti-government demonstration set for Monday, after two days of rallies over uncollected garbage ignited fierce clashes and threatened the survival of the government, plunging Lebanon deeper into crisis.

Sporadic gunfire could be heard in the capital’s commercial district into the night Sunday as police fired in the air to disperse those who remained after officers used tear gas and water cannons against the crowds. Demonstrations on Saturday also included clashes with authorities.

“There is no political party that has called for these protests, it is very much a grassroots movement that has come out on to the streets”, he said.

“The people want the overthrow of the regime”, protesters said, using the famous chants made by Arab protesters during the height of popular protests that swept the region after 2011 and toppled several longstanding rulers.

In a statement to journalists at the protest site, the movement’s leadership rebuffed Salam’s offer of talks and demanded the government’s resignation.

Garbage has been overflowing in the streets since the country’s largest landfill was closed on July 19.

Some demonstrators lit fires.

The interior minister said 99 members of the security forces and 61 civilians had been injured in the events.

“Security forces are reacting to orders from the political elite, and citizens are legitimately exhausted of it”, Kadado said. “We will not leave the street until that demand is met”.

The United Nations special coordinator for Lebanon urged “maximum restraint” by all sides in the protests.

He added: “I will not accept to be a partner to this collapse”.

Protesters had camped overnight in the Lebanese capital’s Riad al-Solh square to wait for Prime Minister Tammam Salam’s response to Saturday’s police violence.

Should Salam resign, a caretaker government would stay on. However, his resignation would trigger a constitutional crisis.

But the presidency has been vacant since Michel Suleiman’s term expired more than a year ago, and filling it requires a political deal many believe can only be brokered by Iran and Saudi Arabia.

“The protests were triggered by the trash crisis but the people we’ve been speaking to say that was the straw that broke the camel’s back… they point to power shortages, water shortages, and inherent corruption within the state”.

He said that they refuse to discuss any issue with Salam before he resigns.

He also warned that if his 18-month-old government was unable to take action to address the concerns of the population, it would become irrelevant.

The state news agency also reported the postponement.