Lebanon protests over economic crisis, corruption continue

Prime Minister Saad Hariri set a three-day ultimatum for his coalition partners to resolve Lebanon's dire economic crisis on Friday as tens of thousands of anti-government protesters rallied across the country for a second day. 

The protests, which broke out on Thursday over plans for new taxes, are the most serious challenge to Hariri's coalition government, which came to power less than a year ago. 

"I'm setting a very short deadline," said Hariri. "Either our partners in the coalition government give a clear answer or I will have something else to say."

As he spoke, in Beirut's Martyr Square, protesters waving the Lebanese flag continued to call for the resignation of the country's political elite, including Hariri, President Michel Aoun, Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, and Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil.

Protesters hold placards calling out the political establishment in downtown Beirut [Timour Azhari/Al Jazeera]

Demonstrators, who are angry over government plans to impose new taxes amid rising costs of living, chanted "Revolution! Revolution!" and "The people demand the fall of the regime". They also accused the Lebanese leadership of corruption, and called for the country's strict banking secrecy laws to be lifted and for state funds stolen over the decades to be returned to the treasury.

"Thief, Thief, Michel Aoun is a thief," some chanted, looking around nervously with grins on their faces. In Lebanon, insulting the president can land you in jail.

"Everyone is tired of this, the situation is horrible, people have no money, the people are falling apart, and all they give us is taxes, taxes, taxes," said Samir Shmaysri, a 39-year old hairdresser. 

"There's no reform process to even hope for the situation to get better."

Protesters also took to the streets in the eastern Bekaa valley and in Tripoli, Lebanon's second-largest city, where local media said several protesters were wounded when a legislator's bodyguards opened fire on a crowd. 

The demonstration began after the cash-strapped government announced plans to impose new taxes, including on WhatsApp voice calls. Overnight on Friday, protesters blocked streets across the country by burning tyres, and in some areas set fire to buildings and vandalised shops.

Amid the unrest, banks, shops and schools closed operations on Friday. 

A soldier tries to clear a path through smouldering rubbish bins and flaming tyres on the outskirts of downtown Beirut 

The outpouring of anger prompted the Lebanese government to scrap plans for taxes on WhatsApp calls, but the measures have done little to placate protesters. 

"We want to change the situation in the country, that's it," said a protester blocking a road with a flaming rubbish bin near Beirut's Ras al-Nabaa area, just outside downtown.

"We've tried being peaceful, it hasn't worked."

The man had a wooden club with one charred end in his right hand. Next to him, another young man was busy re-blocking a road with smouldering rubbish bins and burning tyres, after a Lebanese Army vehicle briefly opened it to pass through.

Randa, who brought her young nephew to Friday's protest, said it was her first time on the streets

"It's not a matter of whether it's fitting or not for a child his age," the university teacher said, as the Lebanese national anthem rang out from speakers being her.

"Everyone needs to come down," she said. "I feel that there is no partisan inclination to the protests. The intentions are pure."

A convoy of Army Humvees turns around after being confronted by protester at a roadblock outside central Beirut