State Prosecutor Orders Probe into Central Beirut Violence

Judicial and security authorities on Monday launched investigations into the overnight incidents that rocked central Beirut, under the supervision of State Prosecutor Ghassan Oueidat, state-run National News Agency said.

NNA said the violence “resulted in the injury of a large number of servicemen and civilians, the vandalizing of cars and shops on Monot Street, and aggression and intimidation against innocent civilians.”

Oueidat tasked the Beirut judicial police department and the central Beirut police station to hear the testimonies of the injured servicemen and civilians, both in and outside hospitals, the agency said.

He also asked for retrieving CCTV footage from the buildings around the area of the clashes in order to “identify and arrest the assailants.”

At around midnight on Sunday, Hizbullah and AMAL Movement supporters attacked protesters at the Ring flyover near the capital's main protest camp.

Brandishing party flags, they hurled stones at peaceful demonstrators and taunted them with insults as riot police deployed to contain the violence and eventually fired tear gas.

The attackers also ravaged a nearby encampment, tearing down tents and damaging storefronts in their most serious assault on the protesters so far.

At least 10 demonstrators were wounded, civil defense said, without specifying the extent of their injuries.

On Monday morning, scattered stones, shattered glass and the mangled remains of tents littered the ground in the main protest camp.

Around the square, car windows had been smashed with rocks.