Lebanon ’ s justice minister quit on Monday in the third cabinet resignation since a deadly blast blamed on state negligence ripped through the capital , a ministry official told AFP .
Marie Claude Najem , who was heckled by protesters in a damaged Beirut street two days after the explosion, submitted her resignation to Prime Minister Hassan Diab, whose government was set to meet later in the day to discuss the August 4 disaster .
Several MPs also quit and local media reported Diab was mulling announcing the entire government ’ s resignation , a day after protesters briefly occupied and ransacked government ministries .
Hundreds gathered again in and around Martyrs’ Square , a short walk from the port where the devastating explosion occurred , killing at least 158 people and injuring a staggering 6 , 000, many bloodied by flying glass .
“ Those who died paid the price of a state that doesn ’ t care about anything except power and money , ” said protester Tamara , 23 , whose friend Rawan , 20 , was killed in the blast.
“ It ’ s not enough that ministers resign , ” said her friend Michel.
“ Those who put the explosives there must be held accountable . We want an international tribunal to tell us who killed ( Rawan ) . ”
Police later fired tear gas in an attempt to disperse protesters who hurled stones and let off fireworks near a street leading to parliament , AFP correspondents said .
Many wore helmets and gas masks , some wielded makeshift shields and others rushed to pick up smouldering tear gas shells and threw them back towards police.
A picture went viral online showing the city ’ s devastated port , with a low wall in the foreground bearing the spray - painted message : “ My government did this . ”
The disaster has revived anger at a ruling class seen as living in luxury while millions endure job losses, deepening poverty , power blackouts and garbage mountains piling up in the streets.
The Lebanese army had “ fading hopes ” of finding any more survivors , Colonel Roger Khoury told reporters Sunday.
Human Rights Watch ’ s Lebanon researcher Aya Majzoub said some security forces had indiscriminately fired tear gas and rubber bullets at protesters .
“ Instead of deploying the army to help residents clear rubble from their homes , businesses , and communities , the Lebanese authorities chose to deploy them and other security forces against protesters . ”
Saturday’ s violence injured 65 people , the Lebanese Red Cross reported , while lawyers supporting protesters said security forces made 20 arrests.
The August 4 explosion came as Lebanon was already reeling from an economic crisis that has seen its currency collapse , plunging swathes of its population into poverty , and struggling with a spike in coronavirus cases .
( AFP )
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