The “Sputnik” correspondent in Lebanon reported that the movement came after the meeting held by the association with Prime Minister Nawaf Salam. During the meeting, a series of demands were presented, most notably equality and the improvement of retirement salaries. However, the association clarified that “Salam did not show serious responsiveness to these demands, merely proposing long-term visions that do not touch the scale of the crisis or address the current reality.”
Some retired military personnel attempted to remove the barbed wire to advance towards the government headquarters, before withdrawing and proceeding to block entrances to central Beirut from the directions of Saifi, Bechara El-Khoury, and Martyrs’ Square.
The protesters emphasized the depth of the social and economic crisis they are experiencing due to the decline in salaries, asserting that “today’s movement serves as the last warning to the government before launching a wide-scale movement that will cover different Lebanese regions.”
