Lebanese mourn, seethe as damaged and neglected Beirut port silos fall
Victims of the Beirut blast can only watch as the port’s ruined grain silos – an unofficial monument to those killed and a symbol of denied justice – have begun to collapse after two years of indecision from government authorities.
BEIRUT — For almost two years, the grain silos of the Port of Beirut stood as a grim reminder of Aug. 4, 2020, when 2,750 tons of improperly stored ammonium nitrate caused the largest non-nuclear explosion in history, killing over 200 people. A further 7,000 were injured, and 300,000 were displaced when their homes were destroyed.
Just days before the two-year anniversary, the northern section of the damaged silos suddenly collapsed, reigniting the fierce debate in Lebanon between those wishing to tear down the damaged structures and those calling for them to be preserved as a monument to the deceased.
On the day of the anniversary, another large section of the silos fell as protesters gathered to mourn and demand justice. For many in Lebanon, especially those who lost loved ones during the port explosion, the irony is almost too much to bear.
The handling of the silo issue "is a reflection of the chaos and failure Lebanon is facing,” Tania Daou-Alam, whose husband was killed in the blast, told Al-Monitor. “There is a problem between the ruling class and the citizens, because we don’t believe what they say."
