Coronavirus forces Lebanese protesters into new posture
Anti-government protests have largely subsided in Lebanon due to government measures aimed at containing the spread of the novel coronavirus, but some activists continue to spread the message and are optimistic about the movement's future.
BEIRUT — Months after hundreds of thousands of people descended on Martyrs’ Square in Beirut to protest Lebanon’s sectarian political class, security forces forcibly destroyed the last few remaining tents in the city center on March 27. The reason given was the implementation of a curfew from 7 pm until 5 am, the latest measure enacted in Lebanon to limit the spread of the novel coronavirus, COVID-19.
“They didn’t warn us before. They attacked suddenly,” artist and protestor Hady Ezzeddin told Al-Monitor. Ezzeddin had been camping in Martyrs’ Square for months, but said he was forced out during the March 27 raid. “I feel upset about what happened, and I feel surprised.”
Yet even before the forced eviction, Ezzeddin had been one of only 50 or 60 demonstrators left in the squares, according to his own count. Most activists, however, have moved on in the wake of the nationwide lockdown announced by the Lebanese government that culminated in the closure of the Beirut airport and seaports on March 18. As the crisis deepens, Lebanon’s once-boisterous protest movement is left to find new, creative ways to reach and engage the public amid a viral outbreak that has made it almost impossible to hold large-scale street demonstrations.
Limited protests had continued prior to orders issued by Lebanese Prime Minister Hassan Diab on March 21 allowing security forces to police social-distancing and isolation measures. Now protest organizers are relying on virtual gatherings and seminars to spread their message, and many have volunteered to disinfect neighborhoods and to provide vital support within their communities across the country.
