Conflict Incident Report

Dozens of protesters converged in Downtown Beirut Saturday despite a downpour and periods of gusty winds to challenge the government's controversial plan to export garbage. “We are here simply to urge the Cabinet to assume its responsibility and resolve the waste crisis. We demand the collection of garbage from the streets and a sustainable solution,” one of the protesters told Al-Jadeed. He emphasized that the Lebanese people “should raise their voices and reject any attempt by the state to impose additional taxes in resolving the crisis.” “We are here to shed light on their errors. Change cannot happen through protests alone. But we are working in the shadows,” he said when asked about the relatively low turnout. Around 100 protesters responded to the rally call, which began at 10:00 a.m. Holding umbrellas, demonstrators chanted slogans against the state and its failure to tackle the trash crisis. The bad weather is believed to have contributed to the poor turn-out, with Lebanon witnessing heavy rainfall Saturday. http://dailystar.com.lb/News/Lebanon-News/2016/Feb-06/335979-beirut-envi...