Protesters set tires on fire and blocked the Tripoli- Minieh highway to protest electricity cuts on Thursday, Sept. 1, 2022. (Courtesy of Michel Hallak)
BEIRUT — The Lebanese Army on Thursday evening launched tear gas to disperse protesters who blocked the Minieh-Tripoli highway, in both directions, set tires on fire and held a sit-in for the second evening in a row, in front of the Deir Ammar power plant in northern Lebanon to protest power outages, our correspondent in the area reported.
Here’s what we know:
• The army cordoned off the main entrance of the Deir Ammar power plant following calls made on social media platforms by activists urging citizens to gather at the plant’s entrance this evening, the state-run National News Agency reported. The army also deployed reinforcements in riot gear.
• Two people were injured Wednesday night during a sit-in in front of the plant, during which demonstrators tried to enter the building to protest against the power shortage.
• Lebanon has been reeling from severe power shortages exacerbated by deepening economic and financial crises. The state electricity provider, Electricité du Liban, has only been capable of supplying a handful of hours of power each day at best. The road linking Tripoli, Minieh and Akkar was also blocked with people burning tires, despite efforts by the army to try to reopen it.
Additional reporting by Michel Hallak.