Skip to main content

Lebanese commemorate Beirut port explosion anniversary with statue, music

Activists and families of the victims of the deadly Beirut port blast have criticized a statue that was erected at the explosion site, saying they need to get to the truth behind the explosion before holding any memorial.
Demonstrators gather outside the port of Lebanon's capital, Beirut, on the first anniversary of the blast that ravaged the port and the city on Aug. 4, 2021.

BEIRUT — A giant iron sculpture was unveiled in the heart of the Beirut port on Aug. 2, just days before the first anniversary of the deadly explosion on Aug. 4, 2020.

The artwork, dubbed “The Gesture” with the slogan “A Genie of Ashes,” was made from the wreckage of the port blast that ripped through the city last year.

Access the Middle East news and analysis you can trust

Join our community of Middle East readers to experience all of Al-Monitor, including 24/7 news, analyses, memos, reports and newsletters.

Subscribe

Only $100 per year.