AFP, Beirut :
Demonstrators across Lebanon blocked roads and took to the streets on Saturday for a 10th consecutive day, defying what they said were attempts by Hezbollah to defuse their movement and despite tensions with the army. The demonstrators – who have thronged Lebanese towns and cities since October 17 – are demanding the removal of the entire political class, accusing many across different parties of systematic corruption. Numbers have declined since October 20, when hundreds of thousands took over Beirut and other cities in the largest demonstrations in years, but could grow again over the weekend. The chief of the powerful movement Hezbollah on Friday called on his supporters to leave the streets, warning that any cabinet resignation would lead to “chaos and collapse” of the economy. His statement sowed divisions among Hezbollah supporters, some of whom were still protesting on Saturday. Hassan Koteiche, 27, from a Hezbollah stronghold in Beirut, said he agreed with most of Nasrallah’s “excellent” speech, but had some reservations. “This does not mean we are against his discourse but there is a divergence in opinion,” he said. “The main thing I disagree with is his belief that if the government or parliament falls then we would have no alternative,” he added. “That is not true. We have alternatives. We have noble and uncorrupt people,” who can govern.
Main roads remained closed across the country on Saturday morning, as the army tried to reopen key routes. The General
Demonstrators across Lebanon blocked roads and took to the streets on Saturday for a 10th consecutive day, defying what they said were attempts by Hezbollah to defuse their movement and despite tensions with the army. The demonstrators – who have thronged Lebanese towns and cities since October 17 – are demanding the removal of the entire political class, accusing many across different parties of systematic corruption. Numbers have declined since October 20, when hundreds of thousands took over Beirut and other cities in the largest demonstrations in years, but could grow again over the weekend. The chief of the powerful movement Hezbollah on Friday called on his supporters to leave the streets, warning that any cabinet resignation would lead to “chaos and collapse” of the economy. His statement sowed divisions among Hezbollah supporters, some of whom were still protesting on Saturday. Hassan Koteiche, 27, from a Hezbollah stronghold in Beirut, said he agreed with most of Nasrallah’s “excellent” speech, but had some reservations. “This does not mean we are against his discourse but there is a divergence in opinion,” he said. “The main thing I disagree with is his belief that if the government or parliament falls then we would have no alternative,” he added. “That is not true. We have alternatives. We have noble and uncorrupt people,” who can govern.
Main roads remained closed across the country on Saturday morning, as the army tried to reopen key routes. The General
Security agency – one of Lebanon’s top three security bodies – said it has started to implement a plan to open key roads. An army spokesman said that security forces would negotiate with protesters, without resorting to violence. But troops clashed with residents of the Beddawi area near the northern port city of Tripoli as they were trying to close a main road, according to the state-run National News Agency.
