Protestors storm Beirut bank, ‘liberate’ $180K ‘stolen’ from Lebanese people

Protestors storm Beirut bank, 'liberate' $180K 'stolen' from Lebanese people
Protestors storm Beirut bank, 'liberate' $180K 'stolen' from Lebanese people
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Written by Harry Johnson

In a Facebook post, the Banin Charity Association said it had ‘recovered’ some $180,000, which it claimed the bank had ‘looted’ from poor people.

  • Protesters demand access to money ‘looted’ from the people of Lebanon.
  • Police were called to the scene to remove protesters from the building and unblock the surrounding roads.
  • In a statement, the bank claimed three of its employees had been injured in the chaos.

Lebanese Swiss Bank in Beirut was stormed by ‘dozens’ of angry protesters who demanded access to tens of thousands of dollars ‘looted’ from the people of Lebanon.

Footage from the Lebanese capital’s Hamra neighborhood on Monday purportedly showed people attacking the bank staff and throwing bank documents from the building’s windows.

Banners displaying messages claiming the bank had stolen people’s money could also be seen hung over the entrance of the bank, as well as a crowd of protesters in front of the building.

Other videosย published by local media appeared to show demonstrators roaming around the bank and entering different rooms of the building.

According to local media reports, a fire had also broken out inside the bank.

Police were called to the scene to remove protesters from the building and unblock the surrounding roads.

The Lebanese Swiss Bank said that self-described NGO the Banin Charity Association had occupied its Hamra branch. The organization also claimed responsibility for Monday’s events.

In a statement, the bank claimed three of its employees had been injured in the chaos, including one who was hospitalized with two facial fractures requiring surgery.

“About a hundred men belonging to the Banin Charity Association occupied the building of the general administration of our bank, assaulting our employees,”ย the bank’s statement read.

The bank also said that the branch managers had been threatened with violence unless they transferred funds abroad.

As a result of the bank’s siege on Monday, the Association of Banks in Lebanon said in a statement that other financial institutions will remain closed on Tuesday in an act of solidarity with the besieged branch.

In a Facebook post, the Banin Charity Association said it had ‘recovered’ some $180,000, which it claimed the bank hadย ‘looted’ย from poor people.

Unrest and protests in Lebanon have become more commonplace as the country has slid further into an economic crisis, worsened by alleged government corruption, the pandemic, political chaos, and the devastating explosion in the Port of Beirut last August.

The country is also dealing with significant shortages of food and medicine.

More protests were held at the weekend in response to the government’s decision to further cut the value of the Lebanese pound against the dollar.

About the author

Avatar of Harry Johnson

Harry Johnson

Harry Johnson has been the assignment editor for eTurboNews for mroe than 20 years. He lives in Honolulu, Hawaii, and is originally from Europe. He enjoys writing and covering the news.

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