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Protests in Lebanon: Anger Over Years of Economic Crisis (24 photos)

For eight days now, hundreds of thousands of Lebanese people have taken to the streets of Beirut and Tripoli to voice their anger toward their government, after decades of economic crisis. The movement was sparked last week by a proposed tax on messaging apps like WhatsApp, but has grown amid a wider set of anti-government grievances, following years of corruption, mismanagement, and growing inequality, and dissatisfaction with an austerity budget passed this summer. Lebanese troops have moved to re-open roads being blocked by protesters, and made numerous arrests. Earlier today, amid continued demonstrations, Lebanon’s President Michel Aoun said during an address that he was willing to meet with protesters.

Lebanese demonstrator Cynthia Aboujaoude, her face painted as DC comic book and film character “The Joker,” but using the colors of Lebanon’s flag, takes part in a protest in Beirut’s downtown district’s Martyr’s Square on October 19, 2019. ( Patrick Baz / AFP / Getty)
https://www.theatlantic.com/photo/2019/10/protests-lebanon-anger-over-years-economic-crisis/600670/