Security officer dies, 200 people sustain injuries during protest in Lebanon

A security officer has been killed and more than 200 demonstrators injured in a protest staged in Lebanon’s capital.

The officer, who was trying to save those stranded in a hotel that was raided in Beirut, was attacked and died in the process.

Lebanon’s Red Cross relating the casualties said, “In demonstrations around Martyrs’ Square in central Beirut and the parliament building, 238 protests were injured, with 63 hospitalized.”

“Five people were arrested in Martyrs’ Square,” Lebanon’s Internal Security Forces added.

Demonstrators also raided the Economy and Environment Ministries, and banks buildings

They went into the buildings and discarded official documents, while damaging furniture in the bank building.

Lebanese were asked by the army “to express their demands in a peaceful way, stop demonstrations and not harm government property”.

Lebanese Health Ministry stated that “At least 158 people have died and more than 6,000 injured since an explosion ravaged parts of the Lebanese capital Tuesday.”

Causality figures are likely to rise as efforts continue to find missing people.