Lebanon's President Michel Aoun warned on Thursday of an "atmosphere of civil war" and attempts to "destabilize security and the street" as unrest grapples the country.
"What happened in the street in recent weeks... has to be a warning to all of us to beware of the security dangers opening the way to strife under the pretext of social demands," Aoun said at the presidential palace in Baabda.
A car passes near burning tires during a sit-in protest, June 12, 2020. /Reuters
Aoun was speaking at a meeting aimed at protecting civil peace but which was boycotted by opposition leaders, including several Christian political party heads and former premiers. Sunni Muslim former Prime Minister Saad Hariri said the meeting was a waste of time when the country really needed "different approaches to lift it out of the severe crisis."
The priority should be on swift reforms to save the economy that has sparked the protests, the opposition said.
"The only solution is for the ruling group to leave and step aside to let others save the country," Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea said Wednesday.
Demonstrations resumed on Thursday around Lebanon over the handling of the country's economic crisis, the National News Agency of Lebanon reported.
A member of the Lebanese riot police walks near burning fire during a protest against the fall in pound currency, June. /Reuters
Traders in Sidon and Tyre closed their shops to take part in demonstrations while expressing concern over poverty levels given the deteriorating value of the local currency.
The traders held signs saying that 1,200 companies will soon go bankrupt and over 5,000 families will suffer from unemployment.
Protesters cut roads near the Justice Palace in Beirut in protest against the arrest of civil protesters who demanded better living conditions.
The Lebanese army intervened, prompting protesters to throw stones at security forces and cars of judges passing by.
The worsening economic conditions during the coronavirus made the Lebanese pound fallen to records lows, having lost over 70 percent of its value since October when the protests began.
The worsening pound drove thousands of traders out of business due to their inability of importing products from abroad and maintaining their operations.
(With input from agencies)