BEIRUT, Lebanon — Riot police used water cannons, tear gas and rubber bullets to clear a large protest camp in the heart of the Lebanese capital on Saturday, sparking clashes with demonstrators that wounded scores of people and turned Beirut’s commercial center into a battle zone. The violence, with tents set on fire and protesters targeting the police with stones and fireworks, was the most intense since mass protests against corruption and mismanagement by the country’s political elite erupted three months ago. Despite continued demonstrations and worsening violence, Lebanon’s politicians have proven unable to take meaningful steps to assuage the protesters’ anger or stop the country’s swift slide toward an economic crisis. Prime Minister Saad Hariri, facing the mass protests, resigned on Oct. 29. His designated successor has failed to form a government while the Lebanese pound, which has been pegged to the American dollar for decades, has been rapidly losing value on the black market, fueling the protesters’ economic grievances.

Source: New York Times January 18, 2020 21:45 UTC