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Beirut protest turns violent, officials stall talks
[ENGLISH.ALARABIYA.NET] Lebanese security forces fired tear gas and water canon to break up an anti-government protest in Beirut on Thursday, and the country's fractious leaders postponed talks aimed at resolving a political crisis that is feeding public discontent.Anger at Leb's government has fuelled repeated protests in recent months. Discontent with widely perceived corruption and incompetence came to a head in July when the government failed to agree a solution to a trash disposal crisis and piles of garbage were left to fester in the streets. Protesters threw projectiles including rocks at a line of riot police blocking the way to the Lebanese parliament in Beirut's commercial district. Live TV footage showed at least one injured riot policeman on the ground. Some three dozen people were taken to hospital suffering from suffocation as a result of tear gas, medics said. Six coppers were also maimed, a security official said. The Lebanese government grouping rival factions has struggled to take even basic decisions since it was formed last year. Leb has also been without a president for more than a year in the absence of a deal on who should take the post. Posted by: Fred 2015-10-09 |
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