Lebanese Security Forces Use Tear Gas to Disperse Protesters in Central Beirut - Reports

DAMASCUS (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 19th October, 2019) The Lebanese security forces used on Friday tear gas to disperse participants of the mass anti-governmental demonstration in the center of Beirut, national media reported.

On Friday, Beirut and a number of other Lebanese cities faced mass protests over the poor economic situation in the country and impending reforms. The protesters burn fires and block the roads to the airport of Beirut and to Damascus. In the center of Beirut, the protesters clashed with security officers, using Molotov cocktails and stun grenades.

Security officers responded with tear gas and water cannons to disperse the protesters, the al-Mayadeen broadcaster reported.

On Friday, all banks and schools were closed across Lebanon over the protests.

They will not be opened on Saturday as well.

Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri canceled the cabinet meeting amid the protests and gave the government 72 hours to make proposals on overcoming the crisis.

The demonstrators are rallying against the government's decision, which has approved imposing a $6 monthly tax on online calls via mobile applications in a bid to raise additional funds for its debt-ridden budget. Moreover, the authorities introduced a new tax on tobacco and announced plans to increase the value-added tax (VAT) to 15 percent by 2020. Earlier on Friday, the government decided to abandon the $6 tax on online calls but that failed to prevent the new wave of protests.