Road blocked with burning tires in front of Mikati's home in Tripoli, May 15, 2023. (Credit: Michel Hallak)
BEIRUT — On Monday, Cart vendors in Mina, Tripoli, burned tires and blocked the road leading to the house of caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati, to protest the municipality's decision to ban carts from the corniche. The municipality of Mina gave vendors a deadline set at Tuesday afternoon.
According to L'Orient Today's correspondent in the area, protestors called for Mikati's intervention in hopes that the municipality of Mina would reverse the decision. They called on Mikati to "find an alternative," so that they could "continue to support their families."
The Lebanese Army intervened to stop the demonstration and extinguished the fire, which reached trees in the garden surrounding Mikati's house.
Contacted by L'Orient Today, a member of the Mina municipality said the decision was made because "large spaces were violated along the corniche, especially during Ramadan."
"The situation was unacceptable and those violations obstructed pedestrians and those wishing to do sports in Mina, which is a place that attracts tourists to the [city]," the municipal source added.
"As for cart vendors, we understand that living conditions are hard and we will not stop them from using their carts or portable kiosks, on condition that they don't fixate them on one spot on the corniche."
Reporting contributed by Michel Hallak