Gunfire breaks out in Beirut during protest

Six people were killed in a scene that was reminiscent of the hostilities seen during the 1975-90 civil war

BEIRUT — Heavy gunfire broke out Thursday in Beirut during a protest organized by the Hezbollah group against the judge leading the probe into last year’s blast in the city’s port. At least six people were killed and dozens wounded in the most violent street fighting in the Lebanese capital in years.

The exchanges of fire along a former front line from the 197590 civil war involved pistols, automatic rifles and rocket-propelled grenades, and were reminiscent of that conflict. Gunfire echoed for hours, and ambulances rushed to pick up casualties. Snipers shot from buildings. Bullets penetrated apartment windows in the area. Schools were evacuated and residents hid in shelters.

The chaos raised the spectre of a return to sectarian violence in a country already embroiled in multiple crises, including one of the world’s worst economic crises of the past 150 years.

It was not clear who started the shooting, which began shortly after the start of the protest organized by the Iranbacked Hezbollah and its Shiite allies from the Amal Movement against Judge Tarek Bitar, who is leading the investigation into last year’s massive port explosion. Hezbollah and its allies accuse the judge of singling out politicians for questioning, most of them allied with Hezbollah.

Tensions over the port blast have contributed to Lebanon’s many troubles, including a currency collapse, hyperinflation, soaring poverty and an energy crisis leading to extended electricity blackouts. Officials from both Shiite parties, including Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, had attacked Bitar for days, accusing him of politicizing the investigation by charging and summoning some officials and not others.

None of Hezbollah’s officials have so far been charged in the 14-month investigation.

The probe centres on hundreds of tons of ammonium nitrate that were improperly stored at a port warehouse that detonated on Aug. 4, 2020. The blast killed at least 215 people, injured thousands and destroyed parts of nearby neighbourhoods. It was one of the largest non-nuclear explosions in history and further devastated the country already beset with political divisions and financial woes. Bitar is the second judge to lead the complicated investigation. His predecessor was removed following legal challenges.

On Thursday, shortly before the planned protest, an appeals court turned down a request to remove Bitar from his post filed by two lawmakers who are defendants in the case, both of them allies of Hezbollah.

The calls for the judge’s removal upset many who considered it blatant interference in the work of the judiciary.