Youths Temporarily Block Airport Road in Protest against Alaeddine’s Arrest
A number of youths on Wednesday blocked the airport road with burning tires in protest against the arrest of Wissam Alaeddine, who was detained over the attack against al-Jadeed television on Monday.
LBC television said that a number of youths on motorcycles dumped three or four tires on the road and set them on fire before fleeing the scene.
Minutes later, the army intervened to put out the fire.
It is likely that they were protesting Alaeddine’s arrest, said LBC.
It added that the army intensified its presence in the area to prevent further incidents.
MTV had reported that the entrance of the Rafik Hariri International Airport had been blocked.
Earlier during the day, a number of youths attempted to block Spears Street in Beirut.
They tried to block the road in front of Future Television’s headquarters with burning tires.
An army unit soon arrived at the scene to disperse the protesters.
Reports then circulated that the Fouad Chehab Highway connecting Beirut's Hamra and Ashrafiyeh districts was also blocked with burning tires, but they were proven to be false.
Unknown gunmen on Monday attacked al-Jadeed television’s headquarters in the Beirut neighborhood of Wata el-Msaytbeh, opening fire on the building, hurling Molotov bombs and setting fire to tires.
The Internal Security Forces’ Intelligence Bureau managed to arrest Alaeddine.
Following the arrest on Monday night, groups of men blocked several roads in Beirut with burning tires.
The security sources said that the road closures were done to prevent the army from reaching the areas where the other attackers on al-Jadeed had taken refuge.
Later on Wednesday, MTV reported that supporters of Salafist Sheikh Ahmed al-Asir blocked Sidon’s northern entrance with their bodies to protest what they called illegitimate arms.
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