Yesterday an anti capitalism protest was staged in front of the Lebanese central bank in Beirut. The protest was held by young Lebanese people demanding an end to the economical injustice by the few rich in the country who happen to be the politicians running (manipulating) the country.

On a beautiful Saturday afternoon the protest was a peaceful one. On my way to the protest the size of security deployment was  outrageous. Police harassment started from the beginning.

Just few meters before my arrival to the protest  I heard the police talking to each other, they then turned tome and told me that police orders today were that I couldn’t go round from there. I thought to myself this was bullshit and but thought fine I will not let them kill my enthusiasm so I went around the block to get to the protest. With my spirits high I joined the protest.

There were few hundred young Lebanese people desperate for change in this country that refuses to take part in the revolution(s) surrounding it. Their chants filled the air:

“We won’t leave before capitalism leaves”.
“My situation is getting worse because of the financial system”.
“99% living in poverty”

While standing in the middle of the protesters observing the scene I overheard a woman talking to her friend telling him: “I’m here for women’s rights because when women are liberated the whole society will follow”.

The chants grew louder:
“My salary is not enough, I’ve started selling my clothes so I can eat”.
“99%. We are the majority”.

Then all of a sudden the police, who outnumbered us 3 to 1, decided to kettle us, one protester refused and sat in the middle of the street. The moment he sat down he was pulled and dragged by 3 policemen who started beating him with batons. The protesters became outraged and started pushing the police cordon away. The police directly attacked us, beating everyone with their batons and machine guns- those guns that were given to them by the USA.

Those machine guns the police used to oppress the protesters yesterday are the same ones they surrendered to the Israeli army back in 2006 in Marjayoun during the war on Lebanon. Not only did they peacefully, calmly, and without any resistance, give up their guns to the enemy, but they even offered the Israeli invading soldiers tea. You see it is very difficult for me to have a tiny bit of respect for you the so-called security services. If this is how you treat the enemy and when it’s us, your Lebanese brethren, protesting peacefully and demanding a better economical situation which will benefit you and I, if with brutality you pay us back, then you are nothing but the enemy against us, the people.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We do this because we cannot breathe anymore in this atmosphere of oppression and economical injustice. We do this because we want to be as free as Che was. We do this for the liberation of mankind.

Also see videos from the protest: here,here,here,here,here and here