Baton-Wielding Hezbollah Thugs Break Up Beirut Protests

Baton-Wielding Hezbollah Thugs Break Up Beirut Protests

The Lebanese terrorist group Hezbollah, which is backed by Iran, is using thugs to break up anti-government protests in the country’s capital Beirut.

Hundreds of Hezbollah followers armed with sticks assaulted protesters at an anti-corruption rally. They burned and dismantled tents set up by the demonstrators in the city center, news reports said.

The French TV network EuroNews reported the thuggish tactics employed by the Hezbollah operatives:

Hezbollah supporters have attacked and ransacked the main anti-government protest site in the Lebanese capital, tearing down tents and smashing chairs, Reuters witnesses said.

The unrest flared on the 13th day of mass protests directed at Lebanon’s government and political elite, who the protesters accuse of corruption and incompetence.

The incident started when the men pushed their way into the protest camp set up by demonstrators on the Ring Bridge in central Beirut, trying to make them open the road.

The country has been rocked by days of anti-government demonstrations, fuelled by worsening economic conditions.

The protests began almost two weeks ago following the government’s decision to raise taxes on internet services, including the messaging app WhatsApp. The initial protests over taxes turned into a mass movement. Hundreds and thousands of people took to the streets in what the media outlets have described as the “largest anti-government protests in Lebanon’s history.” The people have blocked the main highways, cutting the capital from the provinces. Schools, colleges, and offices also remain closed.

Lebanon, a majority Christian nation until the 1970s, has turned into a Muslim-majority state governed by Hezbollah. The capital Beirut, once called the “Paris of the Middle East,” has become a jihadi hellhole.

The attack against peaceful demonstrators came after Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah told the Lebanese people to clear the streets or face a civil war similar to the one in neighboring Syria.

Nasrallah has a lot to lose if the Lebanese government collapses under the pressure from the street. The terrorist group is deeply embedded in the country’s power structure. The terrorist outfit is a state-within-a-state in Lebanon, managing its own army and infrastructure. Hezbollah runs everything from TV stations churning out Islamic propaganda to “welfare” for the families of slain jihadi.

Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri offered to step down on Tuesday, succumbing to the demands of protesters calling for the Hezbollah-backed government’s dismissal. Despite Hariri’s resignation, the government, which includes several Hezbollah ministers, still remains in power. The outgoing prime minister accused Hezbollah of supporting the corrupt government ministers, news reports indicate.

The terrorist group has weakened financially in the wake of President Donald Trump’s policy of “maximum pressure” on Iran. Tehran has been providing around 70 percent of Hezbollah’s budget. Nasrallah once famously said, “As long as Iran has money, Hezbollah will have money.” Now he is now begging his followers for money. The terrorist group is using social media to run an “Equip a Jihadi” crowdfunding campaign.

It will take more than street protests to rid the country of Hezbollah and its ilk, but cutting Nasrallah’s access to Iranian money has certainly weakened the terrorist group’s grip on power.

Footage: Hezbollah assaulting Lebanese protesters

[Cover image via YouTube]

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