Protests in “Poor Tripoli Against the Despicable Government” (graffiti engraved on one of the city walls) began following the economic situation and the extension of the lockdown in Lebanon.
For the past week and a half, there have been riots in the city. The focus of the protest is Elnor Square, which has been dubbed “Revolution Square.”
The protest is against the closure extension without a solution for the needy, who cannot obtain food and medicine.
Protesters are blocking roads using burning tires and garbage containers. Setting fire to vehicles, and even throwing Molotov cocktails at the city hall and attempting to hit police stations and government offices.
The Iranian trucks moving in the city further incited the protesters (Sunnis for the most part) against the difficult economic situation, which many Hezbollah opponents claim was caused because of Hezbollah and its Iranian patron.
On social media, many questions arose about those trucks: Were the trucks empty? Did they smuggle food or other illegal goods into Syria?
Or maybe they carried a sodium sulfate substance that was loaded on them at the seaport of Beirut from the Chinese ship (MSC Masha 3) that arrived at Beirut port a few days ago?