Feminist march sees candles, pot banging take over Beirut's central square
Feminist march sees candles, pot banging take over Beirut's central square
A feminist march was held in a central Beirut square in the evening, with thousands of women carrying candles as banging on saucepans.
3 min read
Women march with candles on Beirut's Martyr's Square [Getty]
A feminist candelight march was held in a central Beirut square on Wednesday as protests in Lebanon continue to grip the country.
Thousands of women gathered in a central square near the seat of government Wednesday evening, carrying candles as some banged on saucepans, an AFP correspondent said.
"O patriarchal powers, women's rights are not a footnote," they chanted.
"On Day 21 of #Revolution, #women led protests in downtown #Beirut holding candles, making drawings, banging on pots and pans," freelance journalist Alessandra Bajec tweeted.
A "candlelit march" was held in Martyr's square, according to Beirut.com, with reports of protests also taking place in Riad Al Solh Square.
"Nearer Riad Soloh, pple protesting thru noise +utensils," Bajec added in the tweet.
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Videos on social media showed a sea of lit up protestors making a thunderous noise by banging on pans.
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Meanwhile security forces and activists clashed on the Beirut waterfront after protesters tried to enter a private seaside resort, denouncing what they say is illegal privatisation of public property.
Across the country, hundreds of students skipped school, refusing to return to class until protest demands are met.
On pupil in Beirut asked Lebanese TV: "What will I do with a school-leaver's certificate if I don't have a country?"
A feminist march was also held Sunday, when Lebanese took to the streets in Beirut to show their support of the anti-government protests and to defend the women that were assaulted during clashes between protestors and counter-demonstrators.
Hundreds of men and women took part in the feminist march from the national museum towards the main square.
"Our revolution is feminist," read a banner carried by marchers.
Protesters have called for an end to President Michel Aoun's tenure, as well as drastic change to a political system dominated by the same figures and families since the end of the civil war.
A proposed tax on calls via free phone applications such as WhatsApp triggered protests last month.
But they soon morphed into a huge nationwide movement, denouncing a raft of woes including a lack of basic services, a failing economy, and corruption. Demonstrations have continued despite the government's resignation last week.
In-depth: Revolutionaries, not 'babes', stop objectifying Lebanon's women protestors
The outgoing cabinet is serving in a caretaker capacity as leaders haggle over the make-up of the next government.
More than 25 percent of Lebanese citizens live in poverty, the World Bank says.
The country's economic growth has stalled in recent years in the wake of repeated political crises, compounded by an eight-year civil war in neighbouring Syria.
At its height last month, the protest movement drew in hundreds of thousands of people.
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Agencies contributed to this report.
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