Security Forces Attack Lebanese Protesters at the Ministry of Environment

At 6:30 PM local time in Beirut, security forces entered the building of the Lebanese Ministry of Environment and expelled a portion of the protesters who had been occupying the building demanding the resignation of Minister Mohammad Mashnouq. According to the Lebanese Ministry of Interior and some local media, about 14 protesters remain on the second floor of the building, stating they will only leave if handcuffed. As of the time of writing this report, Mashnouq's ministry has informed reporters that they have sent a security team to negotiate with the protesters and have reached an agreement with most of them for a peaceful exit from the building. Some protesters who were expelled by security forces reported being beaten in interviews with various media outlets. The Red Cross has arrived at the scene to treat the injured and has transferred two of them to the hospital. The Lebanese Red Cross stated that most of the injuries were minor and resulted from pressure or falling on stairs. Before the operation to evacuate the protesters from the Ministry of Environment began, security forces directed journalists covering the sit-in inside the building outside. Following these developments, hundreds of Lebanese people gathered in the streets around the Ministry of Environment holding Lebanese flags, staging a sit-in and chanting slogans against the environment and the government. Lebanese media quoted the Minister of Interior as saying he ordered that there be no 'violent' action against the protesters and that any potential violators would be punished. Around 12:30 PM local time in Beirut, dozens of Lebanese activists, estimated by local media to be around 40, stormed the Ministry of Environment building on Tuesday, October 1, and declared it occupied. They stated they would continue their actions until the resignation of Mohammad Mashnouq. In response, the Ministry of Interior issued a statement saying that Minister Mashnouq had contacted Prime Minister Saad Hariri and given the protesters a 'half-hour' deadline to leave the Ministry of Environment, and they would have the right to protest in front of the ministry. However, the security forces' actions began about two hours after this deadline. The storming of the ministry occurred while Minister Mohammad Mashnouq was present in his office in the ministry. The recent protests in Lebanon began in response to the crisis of garbage accumulation in the streets of Beirut and the lack of a solution for its collection, especially as this crisis has occurred in the severe summer heat, causing foul odors in the streets and the spread of disease among the people. However, gradually, after the first confrontation between security forces and the protesters, other demands with political undertones were raised. The Ministry of Environment is located in the 'Al-Azariyeh' building in downtown Beirut. Part of this building is commercial, and part is dedicated to the ministry. During the protesters' storming of the ministry, there were not many security measures in place. However, after that, dozens of security and riot police forces arrived at the scene and closed several entrances to the area. The number of activists and protesters present in front of the ministry building also increased. Among the protesters who entered the ministry building were several activists and figures from the 'Your Stench Has Become Unbearable' campaign, which organized the recent protests in Beirut along with several other civil society groups. Some protesters inside the Ministry of Environment emphasized in calls to local media that their movement is 'peaceful' and that they do not intend to 'assault' anyone. They stressed that they would continue their 'sit-in' in the ministry until the resignation of Minister Mohammad Mashnouq. The Lebanese network 'LBC' also managed to send a reporter and cameraman into the ministry building. According to these images, activists and protesters are sitting in the hallways of the Ministry of Environment and chanting slogans, including 'Mashnouq, get out.' The 'Your Stench Has Become Unbearable' campaign issued a statement on Tuesday stating that they would not hold a press conference 'at this time,' and that the occupation of the ministry is 'the first step in the final hours of the 72-hour deadline,' and that the next steps would be 'larger.'