Lebanese Form Human Chain in Protest of Corrupt Government

From Tripoli in the north to Tyre in the south, the protesters successfully linked a 105-mile chain, capping over a week of mass anti-government demonstrations, according to the BBC. 

"It was a symbol to show the world that we all are united and nothing can break us, and most importantly, we are peaceful," Dr. Sally Hammoud, an event leader, told CNN.

Lebanon is facing a potential economic catastrophe, as the government is severely in debt, the millers association lacks wheat due to unsettled payments and a shortage of foreign currency, and the proposition of a WhatsApp tax has infuriated vast segments of the population, regardless of class and political affiliation, according to Reuters. 

Schools, banks, and many other businesses are closed, and in a historically uncharacteristic display of national unity, tens of thousands of people have accused the country’s political elites of rampant corruption and called for their immediate resignation. 

Even Pope Francis has weighed in on the protests.

“I pray to the Virgin Mary, Queen of Lebanon, so that, with the support of the international community, that country will continue to be a space of peaceful coexistence and respect for the dignity and freedom of every person, for the benefit of the entire Middle East Region,” said the Pope, as quoted by the Catholic News Agency.