Beirut Vigil Erupts Into Violence as Lebanese Demand Real Change
- International judge among possible candidates to take over
- Outgoing premier says corruption sabotaged his administration
Protesters remove concrete barriers blocking a parliament entrance during an anti-government protest in Beirut, on Aug. 10.
Photographer: Hasan Shaaban/BloombergThis article is for subscribers only.
An evening vigil to mark a week since Beirut’s devastating port explosion flared into protests on Tuesday, as the deep-seated anger directed toward the country’s leaders threatens to trigger a sustained new wave of demonstrations.
Protesters pelted rocks at the steel barriers thrown around the parliament as security forces confronted them with tear gas and rubber bullets. An effigy of President Michel Aoun hanging from a noose was set ablaze. Authorities announced the death toll from the blast had risen to 171.