Four arrested after protesters attempt to storm Mikati’s Beirut residence

BEIRUT — Protesters gathered outside the Beirut residence of Prime Minister-designate Najib Mikati amid a heavy security forces deployment Sunday evening. Earlier in the evening, security forces had fired tear gas in an effort to disperse scores of protesters throwing rocks at the residence’s entrance as they called for Mikati to step down.

Here’s what we know:

    • Protesters on Sunday evening marched from Downtown to the premier-designate’s residence, where they were quickly met by security forces in riot gear as they shouted slogans and threw rocks at the entrance.

    • Several protesters succeeded in breaching the property, breaking the glass of the building’s door. Security forces reacted by firing tear gas and running after protesters before beating up a number of them and arresting four.

    • Among those arrested were William Noun, brother of firefighter Joe Noun who was killed in the Aug. 4, 2020, Beirut port explosion, and Khoder Eido. Noun was arrested during the protest outside Mikati’s house, while Eido was arrested at a distance from the residence, our sister publication L’Orient-Le Jour’s correspondent at the scene reported. Noun was released a little later.  According to a lawyer for the protesters, two others were also arrested.

     • After the incident, Mikati released a statement saying that although he understands protesters are expressing their rightful demands, the path to change is through parliamentary elections — the supervision of which, he says, is his main goal — and not through violence.

    • Mikati was appointed on July 26 to form the next cabinet. He has since met with President Michel Aoun nine times, but as yet no cabinet lineup has been announced.

    • This morning, amid countrywide fuel shortages, a fuel truck exploded in Akkar as residents tried to fill their tanks from it. Twenty-eight people were killed, while dozens of others were injured, many suffering severe burns.