ANSD : Uprising day 29: Northern highway blocked

SUN 24 - 11 - 2024

Date: Nov 14, 2019
Source: The Daily Star

Uprising day 29: Northern highway blocked

BEIRUT: Main roads across the country remained blocked on the 29th day of the nationwide uprising Thursday, with the main highway connecting north Lebanon to the capital still cut off.

The highway south of Beirut at Khaldeh, where Alaa Abou Fakher was allegedly shot by a member of Army Intelligence, was blocked with burning tires. It was reopened around 9:30 a.m. Abou Fakher is set to be laid to rest later Thursday.

The highway north of Beirut remained blocked at Nahr al-Kalb, Jal al-Dib and Bohssas, near Tripoli. Protesters put up Abou Fakher's picture next to metal barriers they used to block the road.

In Beirut’s eastern suburbs, the road remained blocked at the Chevrolet intersection.

In Sidon, protesters held a demonstration around the city and gathered outside Sidon’s Justice Palace. They held a sit-in in solidarity with 18 people who have been detained for damaging the Tyre Rest House resort, which reportedly belongs to Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri’s wife, Randa Berri. Berri’s media office previously denied the resort was owned by any member of the speaker’s family.

Protests against the ruling class and rampant corruption have been ongoing since Oct. 17. The uprising has seen hundreds of thousands take to the streets, blocking roads and entrances to state institutions in a bid to make their voices heard.

The protesters demanded the resignation of the government and the formation of a technocratic one, early parliamentary elections and an early end to President Michel Aoun’s 3-year-old term.

Aoun gave a televised interview Tuesday in which he called for protesters to return to their homes – or leave the country.

“If they see no decent people in this state, let them emigrate. They won’t get into power,” Aoun said, addressing the protesters.

Aoun’s remarks caused outrage, driving thousands to the streets Tuesday night and Wednesday, blocking main roads across the country.

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