'You Stink' Campaign Stages Protest near Central Bank as Activist Briefly Detained

The “You Stink” civil society campaign staged a march from downtown Beirut to the Central Bank in protest against corruption in Lebanon.

The protesters made their way from a Finance Ministry building in downtown and later arrived at the Central Bank in the Hamra neighborhood.

Soon after their arrival, activist Asaad Zebian was arrested with a member of the campaign accusing the security forces of “militia practices.”

The demonstrators promptly blocked the road in front of the Central Bank in protest against the detention, said some media outlets.

An activist later denied the claim, saying that cars are being allowed to pass.

The Internal Security Forces later revealed that Zebian was arrested for defiling the Lebanese flag.

The walls surrounding the Interior Ministry, which is located in front of the Central Bank, are painted with the Lebanese flag.

Photographs show Zebian painting over the flag.

The protesters later headed towards the Interior Ministry's main entrance at Sanayeh to stage a sit-in.

Zebian was released from custody in the afternoon and the activists ended their sit-in.

The “You Stink” campaign gained prominence in the wake of the eruption of the garbage disposal crisis.

It carried out numerous protests against the problem and later evolved into a movement protesting against political corruption on Lebanon.

M.T.

D.A.