Beirut blast: Protestors storm Foreign Ministry building, demand government to resign

Several demonstrators in Beirut stormed the Foreign Ministry building on Saturday following the massive explosion that rocked the Lebanese capital earlier this week.

According to international media reports, police fired gas and clashed with the protestors who turned up in large numbers on August 8. The demonstrators reportedly raised flags with the image of a fist and demanded the current government to resign.  

While nearly 200 protestors entered the building and burned a few documents and pictures of the Lebanese President, international media reported the angry demonstrators saying that the Foreign Ministry would be the headquarters for a ‘revolution’. The protests in Beirut have gone up as people are furious at authorities' failure to prevent the explosion caused by over 2,000 tonnes of ammonium nitrate. 

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The massive blast that devastated parts of the port city killed nearly 154 people and injured thousands. While anti-government protests erupted last year in October due to the economic crisis and collapsing currency, the August 4 spiked the rage against the government.

According to reports, in the recent protest, the demonstrators hurled rocks and sticks at the security forces. On the other hand, the police replied with tear gas and rubber bullets. 

READ: Tear Gas, Clashes In Beirut Amid Fury Over Massive Blast

Over 100 injured during protest

Lebanese Red Cross is reported to have said that nearly 110 people have been injured during the demonstrations and at least 63 were transported to a hospital nearby. While the police officials had used flashpoints at barricades to prevent demonstrators from reaching the parliament, protestors got inside the building, stayed as long as possible and even intended to occupy other ministries. 

As per reports, apart from showing anger, Saturday’s march was also meant to remember the victims of the tragic blast. The explosion left over 300,000 people homeless. Meanwhile, the Lebanese Prime Minister Hassan Diab reportedly said that he would ask for early elections as a way out of the crisis. Diab said that the authorities can’t exit the country’s structural crisis without holding early parliamentary elections. 

(Image: @RealBigBrain/Twitter) 

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