Public anger went beyond the police restraints as protesters, mostly people who attended the funeral of Lebanon's slain intelligence chief, tried to storm the headquarters of Prime Minister Najib Miqati in the capital which followed wide unrest and chaos in Beirut. Two people have reportedly been killed and many injured during the clashes between policemen and the demonstrators.
Gunshots were fired in the air to disperse the crowd that marched towards the Prime Minister's office knocking off the barriers. The group then pulled apart barbed wire coils, threw steel rods, stones and bottle at soldiers and police. Police had to resort to teargas and shooting to disperse the angry mob that chanted slogans against the government and the prime minister.
The deep-seated sectarian tension in Lebanon seems to be erupting once again as its religious community is now basically divided itself to that support and oppose the regime of Syrian President Bashar Assad.
Opposition leaders called for immediate resignation of the Lebanese PM and accused Syria and Hezbollah behind the assassination of Brig. Gen. Wissam al-Hassan in a massive car bomb on Friday. Following the public demonstration of anger and clashes all across the country, Miqati has offered to step down; however, later suspended his decision upon the request of President Michel Suleiman.
The deadly car bomb blast claimed eight lives including General's al-Hassan, who was said to be an anti-Syria proponent in the government. Wissam al-Hassan, the Chief of Information Department of Lebanon's Internal Security Forces (ISF), led an investigation that resulted in the arrest of former Information Minister Michel Samaha, who was one of Syria's most loyal allies in Lebanon.
He also headed the investigation that accused Syria and Hezbollah, the Shiite militant group that dominates Lebanon's government and is Syria's closest ally, of the murder of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri in 2005.
One of countries most respected officers, Al-Hassan was buried near Hariri in Beirut's central Martyrs Square amidst thousands of people in tears. Hariri and Al-Hassan, both strong opponents of Syria and powerful Sunni leaders, were killed in car bomb blasts at a time when they were opposing the neighbouring Syria.
