Shiite groups’ supporters clash with security forces in Beirut, opening a new chapter in Lebanon’s crisis

Lebanese security forces clashed with protesters in Beirut on Monday and Tuesday, using tear gas, rubber bullets, and water cannons against demonstrators gathered near a bridge. In the past few months, anti-corruption protests have plagued Lebanon’s security and stability, however, this group of protesters were supporters of two Shiite groups that have participated in efforts to quell unrest stemming from the country’s despair.

The protesters, supporters of the Amal movement, a political party in Lebanon who has ties with Hezbollah, have been protesting over the past week. Lebanon now faces a plethora of problems, protesters clashing with counter-protesters, violence between police and protestors, garbage and waste disposal, daily electricity cuts, heavy air pollution, and crumbling infrastructure that remains from its sectarian civil war in the late 20th century.