Lebanon: demonstration against Macron's "cooperation" with the leaders, clashes with the police

A demonstration which gathered Tuesday, September 1 in Beirut several hundred Lebanese criticizing the "

" of French President Emmanuel Macron, with their leaders deemed "

", degenerated in the evening into clashes with the police, leaving 22 injured, according to an NGO.

The rally began peacefully before participants threw stones at the police who responded with tear gas.

The clashes left 22 people injured, one of whom was hospitalized, the Lebanese Red Cross said.

Read also: Emmanuel Macron urges the Lebanese political class to change "as soon as possible"

Some demonstrators criticized the French president, who was meeting at the same time in the Lebanese capital with political leaders who had been shouted for months by the population.

“

” said one of them, Rima, 46 years old.

"

", could be read on a sign held up by a demonstrator.

A “secular” and “modern” state

Armed with Lebanese flags and chanting slogans against a "

"

ruling class

and a "

", the protesters, mobilized at the call of a coalition of collectives of the protest movement, called for building a "

»Based on a

modern

«

».

The August 4 explosion at the port of Beirut killed at least 188 people and devastated several areas of the capital.

Visiting Lebanon for the second time since this gigantic explosion, Emmanuel Macron has increased the pressure on Lebanese political leaders by calling on them to launch "

" real reforms likely to respond to the anger of the Lebanese who hold their leaders responsible. of this explosion, accusing them of negligence and corruption.

Lebanon has been governed by a system of community power sharing since its independence, which has fueled corruption and patronage.

Under international and street pressure, several political leaders, including the head of state Michel Aoun and the president of the Assembly Nabih Berri, have called in recent days to "

" in favor of a “

”.