Now going into the second week of protests, all eyes are on Lebanon. And anyone in the region knows, they’ve been anything but violent (despite reports in foreign media that framed Lebanese protestors through an aggressive narrative).
“Some protesters, including men in black hoods, blocked roads, set tyres on fire and used iron bars to smash storefronts in Beirut’s affluent downtown district,” reads an article in The Guardian, painting a fiercely violent picture of the events.
A recent post on Time Magazine’s Instagram page featured a photo of protestors smashing windows that was taken on the first day of protests. Like the Guardian’s article, the caption omitted details of the peaceful nature of the protests. A swarm of comments ensued, as hundreds of people took to the social media platform to call out the outlet for its inaccurate portrayal of the demonstrations.
Simultaneously, people have taken to social media to showcase what’s really taking place on the ground. The videos that have gone viral since the protests began, paint a very different picture – one that’s far more peaceful, even festive. To give you an idea of what’s really going on, we’ve rounded a few up for you.
Remarkable video circulating: #Lebanon soldier breaks down in tears as he stands against his countrymen to force open the highway, & a protester comforts him. Just yesterday the army was physically protecting protesters from being threatened. Govt has clearly changed tack. pic.twitter.com/0Vrz31Ei2E
— Leila Molana-Allen (@Leila_MA) October 23, 2019
https://twitter.com/GaelleSayegh/status/1185619739747467266
https://twitter.com/allushiii/status/1185632644303863809
i’ve seen it all omg pic.twitter.com/kKoYNjsxCQ
— vincent mangogh (@gaellesworld) October 19, 2019
