Lebanese law enforcement has fired water cannons at protesters who were throwing stones near the parliament in Beirut during the second day of clashes, according to local media broadcasts.
Alleged videos of police using water cannons against the demonstrators have appeared online, although the information hasn't been confirmed yet.
Water canon in #beirut #Lebanon moments ago. Many of the protestors teenage boys from Tripoli - they say they’ve come down to Beirut because they want to bring down the government pic.twitter.com/dV9mSdmMyC
— Lizzie Porterلِيزي بورتر (@lcmporter) January 19, 2020
Beirut: Security uses water cannon to disperse the demonstrators in front of the House of Representatives https://t.co/zTcoTgIORi pic.twitter.com/JWz1CF5yLI via @Akhbaralsaha #Lebanon
— Liveuamap MiddleEast (@lummideast) January 19, 2020
Police have reportedly fired back at the protesters with tear gas, videos posted by social media users show.
Scene now outside Parliament in downtown #Beirut - protestors taking running shots at police who are firing back with tear gas #Lebanon pic.twitter.com/2npmfzIOTi
— Lizzie Porterلِيزي بورتر (@lcmporter) January 19, 2020
Protesters from across Lebanon flocked to Beirut a day earlier to attend a rally against economic mismanagement and the weakening national currency, dubbed "Saturday of outrage". Clashes with law enforcement ensued as demonstrators attempted to storm the parliament building's fences. More than 165 people were injured in the clashes, according to the Lebanese Red Cross. Lebanon’s President Michel Aoun has ordered the army to the capital to protect peaceful protesters and keep the situation under control.
