Tensions escalated significantly Wednesday as armed men allegedly linked to the Free Patriotic Movement took to the streets north of Beirut and one opened fire toward protesters.
On the 28th consecutive day of mass demonstrations against the ruling class, dozens of protesters closed the main internal road in Jal al-Dib, angering local residents and leading to a brief fight.
Roadblocks sprang up all over the country Tuesday night after his remarks, which many protesters described as "provocative," and continued throughout Wednesday.
Since the start of the protests, demonstrators have intermittently blocked the main Jal al-Dib highway, but Wednesday saw them cut off the key inside road completely.
Protesters blocked the highway north of Beirut at Nahr al-Kalb and Ghazir and the highway south of Beirut at Khaldeh. A long line of cars queued up ahead of the Nahr al-Kalb tunnel, with many drivers were visibly frustrated. In the evening, protesters clashed with soldiers after they tried to build a brick wall at the tunnel's entrance.
Roads in Barr Elias and Al-Marj in the Bekaa Valley, in addition to Tripoli's southern entrance and roads in Akkar, were also blocked by burning tires.
In Beirut, the "Ring Bridge" and the Chevrolet intersection were also blocked by protesters.
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