Today, my Lebanese friends and I were tear gassed. My friend Michella was also standing in the front of the crowd when security forces decided to force back protesters.
She and her two female friends were forced to the ground, shoved into the ground by the officers riot shields. They were also shot by water cannons.
Why did they choose to face this brutality? Because the Lebanese government has lost the trust of its people. They have shown a lack of ability to even manage the seemingly simple task of finding an acceptable method to deal with the countries trash.
Meanwhile the country continues to suffer from constant power and water cuts. Elections are years passed due and most of the currently unelected leaders would rather deal with their business interests than find a way to agree on a president. There hasn’t been one for well over a year now.
So, several weeks ago when the streets of Beirut began overflowing with garbage, a few hundred people took to the streets to protest. I went with Lebanese friends to stand in support. Nothing changed although some politicians made promising statements.
Further protests continued during the coming weeks. Another large one was held garnering maybe a thousand people. This past week, the protests escalated to a level of violence previously unseen with police beating protestors. Although formerly protesters were arrested, beaten and held for throwing garbage at a ministers vehicle.
This Saturday, a massive crowd of people came. From the blockade in front of Parliament to the beginning of Gemayzeh street and down to the Annahar building, the steers were packed around Martyrs’ Square.
Various chants were shouted but the common one has increasingly become “Sawra, sawra, sawra” or “revolution”.
We heard reports that a 14-year-old boy was shot and died at today’s protest. At least seventy-five people were injured and many we were taken to the hospital.
We personally saw a security officer in plain clothes arrest a young man for taking photos with a professional camera; a silly action considering everyone at the event had a smartphone and was taking photos and video the entire time. The media was also there and currently television and radio are filled with the footage.
Meanwhile, the streets of Lebanon remain filled with trash and the government has taken to moving piles from areas of Beirut and “hiding” them in various places around the country, hoping nobody will notice.
Jason in Beirut 