In light of Lebanon’s dire financial and economic situation, the General Labor Union organized a strike on Thursday morning under the slogan “Demanding a Rescue Government.”

“In the face of a cruel reality, the country is utterly suspended, and people are suffering from poverty and hunger, and queues stand in front of stations and pharmacies, and the most productive sectors are collapsing,” Bechara Asmar, the chairman of the General Labor Union, said in a radio interview. “What remains of Lebanon as it was?”

“The General Labor Union must take a permanent and escalating decision for a strike” he said, adding that “peoples have the right to obtain executive and procedural authority,” and that “we live in an exceptional and bitter reality because we live without a government to achieve a minimum level of political stability.”

“Today’s street action carries with it dangers,” he continued, “therefore this strike is a means of pressure.” “There are facts that may lead to turmoil, and we are working to bring this evasion to light.”

Protests across streets: 

As response to the General Labor Union’s appeal, the strike began in numerous trade unions, labor and economic sectors, government and private institutions.

Workers and drivers gathered in Tripoli’s Madares Street to take part in the strike.

According to the traffic control room, some demonstrators blocked traffic at the Azmi-Tripoli intersection and diverted it to nearby roads, which will be reopened later.

As a result of the demonstration, security personnel in Beirut shut down some of the city’s key roads and rerouted traffic to alternate routes.

Some demonstrators shut down traffic on the Khalde Bridge in both directions, but it was reopened after “traffic management.”

Furthermore, “National Media” reported that the Corniche of Al-Mazraa is seeing light traffic, with the roads empty except for a few passengers and motorcycles, and that shopping centers have joined the strike, blocking the road in front of the Abdel Nasser Mosque intersection towards Barbir and Rawche with obstacles and cars.

At the Cola/Beirut crossroads, traffic was also halted.

Al Madina Al Riyadiyya road is closed off from all directions, according to the National News Agency.

Traffic was blocked off on the major route of Halba Al Abdeh, Al-Husniyah area, according to the Traffic Management Room.

In Chtaura, Beqaa shut off the international road.