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Beirut Protesters Rally Outside Parliament on Blast Anniversary

Protesters rallied in Beirut, Lebanon, on August 4, one year after a massive explosion at the city’s port left over 200 people dead and thousands injured.

Videos filmed by journalist Georg Gassauer show protesters throwing objects towards the Lebanese parliament building and attempting to breach the iron coverings around the Le Gray Hotel, which was heavily damaged in the blast.

The demonstrations in Beirut were held in protest against government inaction in the year following the deadly port explosion.

A statement on the UN’s Lebanon website criticized the government, saying: “365 days later, the people of Lebanon are still waiting for the justice promised by the country’s decision makers … It is time for the country’s decision makers, who are entrusted with the safety, security and well-being of their people, to live up to their responsibilities.”

It called for an “effective, independent and transparent investigation that can bring justice for the victims and peace for their families.”

The statement was signed by the EU’s ambassador to Lebanon, Ralph Tarraf; the UN deputy special coordinator for Lebanon, Najat Rochdi; and the World Bank’s Middle East region director, Saroj Kumar Jha. Credit: Georg Gassauer via Storyful