In the summer of 2015, Lebanon’s streets were lined with trash. Sukleen, a trash company’s, contract was up and parliament could not decide who would be replacing it. The smell became so unbearable thousands of Lebanese rose to the streets in protest. A campaign that gained international fame called You Stink was thought to be enough to bring change to Lebanon’s parliamentary system. However, parliament ignored its peoples’ demands and stubbornly did not accept any solutions to the crisis.
Thursday August 19, marked a major negative turning point for demonstrators and the lebanes public at large. Law enforcement agents violently forced demonstrators to leave at a protest held in downtown Beirut. In response to police, campaign organizers told their supporters rise up once more on Saturday August 22nd, and again on August 23rd in larger numbers.
This report documents the tactics used by law enforcement officers during the series of protests, and highlights the human rights violations which occurred during, and as a result of, their actions. The report also details concerns the state must address following these events.