A demonstrator gestures during a protest against the COVID-19 lockdown and worsening economic conditions, in Tripoli, Lebanon on January 27 (Omar Ibrahim, Reuters)
The International Red Cross reported over 200 people injured in the wake of street protests turned violent in the streets of Tripoli on Wednesday night. Thousands of demonstrators turned out on the streets of Lebanon’s second largest city for the third night in a row to protest the latest round of strict lockdowns related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Most businesses were mandated to close for three weeks, placing further strain on a nation which is still reeling from a currency crisis, spiraling inflation, and the deadly explosion at Beirut port last year. At the same time, Lebanese hospitals are overwhelmed by COVID cases, with an under-resourced healthcare system threatening to collapse.
As crowds converged in Tripoli’s Al-Nour Square on Wednesday, the Lebanese military was also deployed to the area, after officials promised swift action against any protesters who attempted to storm government buildings in the downtown district. Protesters hurled stones and burning tires at security forces, while nine soldiers were allegedly injured by an exploding hand grenade. In response, some soldiers fired on the crowd with live ammunition, injuring dozens.
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Wednesday’s bloody protests are just the latest chapter in Lebanon’s recent history of civil war, occupation, terrorism, economic disaster, and political dysfunction. Home to Sunni and Shi’a Muslims, Maronite Christians and Druze, the small nation has become politically and socially fragmented in recent years. We ask the Maranatha global family to join us in prayer for the people of Lebanon. We pray for the end of the pandemic and the resumption of commercial life. We pray for the health care system to sustain the pressure of the coronavirus pandemic. We pray for real political reform in Lebanon, wisdom for good-willed leaders in addressing the street protests and social turbulence, and for the restraint of terrorist groups such as Hezbollah. But most of all, we pray for the ongoing crisis in Lebanon to pave the way for gospel laborers to bring Good News of great joy to the Lebanese people.
Maranatha.
