Lebanon marks Beirut explosion’s 1st anniversary

Beirut, Aug 4 (EFE).- Lebanon on Wednesday marked the first anniversary of the deadly Beirut explosion with a series of acts to honor the victims and rallies to demand justice as the investigation stalls.

Besides a vigil and a mass, activists have organized three mass protests, among other rallies, that will converge at 2pm UTC at the port, the ground zero of the devastating blast that killed over 200 people and injured 6,500.

The three marches are scheduled to start from different points across the Lebanese capital, with several stops on the way to the port, including the state electricity company Electricité du Liban.

The country has suffered power shortages in the past year amid a severe economic crisis.

At 6:07pm (3:07pm UTC), the exact time of the blast, the participants in all the protests are to observe a moment of silence next to the Lebanese Emigrant Statue by the port before heading to Parliament.

Human rights organizations such as Amnesty International or Human Rights Watch have accused the Lebanese authorities of obstructing the investigation and protecting politicians. EFE

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