Tripoli Protesters Call for Mass Rallies after Night of Tension

Anti-government protesters in the northern city of Tripoli have called for mass rallies on Wednesday after a night of tension that left many individuals injured as Lebanon’s uprising enters day 42.

Tension heightened in Tripoli at night on Tuesday. Residents asserted that a group of people from outside Tripoli wreaked havoc at night in the city, they told MTV reporter.

“They won’t scare us out of the streets,” the people shouted angrily stressing that a “fifth column” intervened to sabotage the peaceful demonstrations in the north’s capital.

A group of men smashed the ATMs of Fransabank and MedBank and burned the latter’s in Tripoli’s street of Gemayzet, the National News Agency reported.

In a statement, the Lebanese army said four individuals were arrested in Gemayzet after attacking the offices of a political party and a bank.

One of the men tossed a hand grenade at the troops that did not explode. A soldier was injured by stones tossed by demonstrators and two motorbikes were confiscated, said the statement.

Reports said supporters of President Michel Aoun clashed with opponents in the city of Tripoli and in the mountain town of Bikfaya injuring 34.

Tripoli has been a hotspot of the anti-government protests and become known as "the bride of the revolution" for its festive night-time rallies.

Tripoli has emerged as a festive nerve centre of anti-graft demonstrations across Lebanon since October 17.

The massive nationwide protests against the country’s ruling elite remained overwhelmingly peaceful since they began last month. But as the political deadlock for forming a new government drags on, tempers are rising.