Protesters block roads in Lebanon as currency hits new low

Protesters throughout Lebanon blocked roads today out of anger with the country’s abysmal economic situation.

Demonstrators blocked a square and a highway in the northern city of Tripoli. They were protesting the “soaring” rate of the Lebanese pound to the US dollar and “deteriorating living conditions,” Lebanon’s official National News Agency reported.

Protesters also blocked roads in downtown Beirut, the southern city of Sidon and the Hezbollah stronghold Bekaa Valley. They also also demanded electricity and protested corruption. The crowds used trash bins to block the roads, the Lebanese news outlet Naharnet reported.

Lebanon has been suffering from an economic crisis since 2019. The situation has led to the plummeting value of Lebanon’s currency, fuel and electricity shortages as well as skyrocketing prices.

The Lebanese pound hit a new historic low of 33,600 to the dollar today, according to Naharnet. For years, the pound traded at 1,500 to the dollar.