Lebanon: Man killed during protests after Aoun's speech

An activist was killed Tuesday in the capital Beirut when soldiers attempted to drive down a road closed by protesters, reports Anadolu Agency.

The soldiers fired on the crowd, which were preventing their vehicle from passing, hitting activist Alaa Abou Fakher.

Protests in Lebanon – Cartoon [Sabaaneh/MiddleEastMonitor]

Protests in Lebanon eased after the government of Prime Minister Saad Hariri resigned on October 29 following nationwide demonstrations over the country’s worst economic crisis in decades but were reignited after President Michel Aoun gave an interview to a local TV station at the Baabda Presidential Palace in Beirut.

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Following Aoun’s speech, people throughout the country, including in the capital, began blocking streets in large groups.

The protesters blocked main roads and chanted slogans against Aoun and his son-in-law, Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil.

The army attempted to open some roads in Beirut, which led to the clash with protesters and Abu Fahr’s death.