Angry crowds lit up the night sky in Lebanon on Thursday as protesters burned a government building amid growing frustration over strict pandemic restrictions and a collapsing economy. 🔥 The demonstration turned chaotic as citizens clashed with authorities, with locals calling the lockdown measures 'the final straw' for communities already struggling to afford food and electricity.
💡 Why now? Lebanon’s currency has lost 90% of its value since 2019, while fuel and medicine shortages have left many feeling trapped between health risks and survival. The latest 24-hour COVID-19 curfew – enforced amid soaring inflation – sparked explosive tensions.
📉 Youth in crisis: With half the population under 30 and unemployment at 35%, young protesters told NewspaperAmigo.com the lockdowns 'feel like punishment' for a generation already crushed by bank collapses and political gridlock. Meanwhile, social media is flooding with viral videos of crowds chanting 'We’d rather die standing!'
🌍 Global echoes: Analysts warn Lebanon’s turmoil reflects a broader trend of pandemic-era unrest in economically vulnerable nations. The World Bank calls it one of the world’s worst financial crises since the 1850s – but for protesters, statistics matter less than empty stomachs and dimming hopes.
