Demonstrators from The Depositors' Cry collective, August 17, 2023 in front of Parliament in Beirut. (Credit: X/@sarkhitmoudiin)
BEIRUT — Dozens of protesters demonstrated outside the Parliament building in Beirut Thursday morning ahead of a scheduled legislative session.
The demonstration, organized by the "Cry of the Depositors" collective, was meant to denounce the illegal restrictive measures imposed by the banks since the onset of Lebanon's economic crisis four years ago.
The parliamentary session was ultimately canceled due to a lack of quorum, as several parties continue to boycott such sessions during the ongoing presidential vacancy.
Banks have been imposing illegal restrictions on their customers since Lebanon's economic crisis began in 2019, limiting withdrawals and transfers.
In recent months, the country has seen a wave of bank holdups in which depositors, sometimes armed, have broken into bank branches to forcibly claim their own funds.