Lebanon: PM Hariri forced to flee as protesters threw bottles

Protesters threw bottles at Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri as thousands continued to gather in central Beirut, Sunday, rallying for the fourth day in a row against a tax hikes.

Hariri attempted to address the protesters, but was booed and ushered away by his security staff as projectiles started to fly. Armed guards stood between the politician and the demonstrators, with the latter pulling down barricades blocking the prime minister’s headquarters, the Grand Serail.

The cabinet decided to raise VAT from 10 to 11 percent in order to fund a new salary scale bill, which is estimated to cost LL 1.2 trillion ($800 million). The revenue will fund pay scales for government employees such as judges, teachers and military personnel.

SOT, Samer Abou Khalil, protester (Arabic): “We ask Lebanese people today to participate in the demonstration to stop the corruption machine in the government. We hope they do because it is for all Lebanese.