BEIRUT, Oct. 21 (Xinhua) -- Protesters, mostly people who have attended the funeral at noon of a Lebanese security official killed in Friday's car bombing in Beirut, attempted on Sunday to storm the Grand Serail, the headquarters of Prime Minister Najib Miqati in central the capital, according to Xinhua reporters at the scene.
Policemen have resorted to teargas in a bid to disperse the angry crowd, who demanded the resignation of the prime minister and the government following the deadly bombing which left eight people killed, including Chief of Information Department of Lebanon's Internal Security Forces (ISF), Wissam al-Hassan, and more than 85 others injured.
There were also gunshots into the air by the police after the crowd moved from the funeral site of al-Hassan to the Grand Serail, witnesses said, adding that some injuries have occurred during the clashes between policemen and the demonstrators.
On Saturday, Miqati has offered to resign after the fatal bombing, but later suspended this decision upon the request of President Michel Suleiman. He explained that Suleiman requested a time frame for him to consult with members of the national dialogue table over his decision to resign.
The prime minister's resignation came after an extraordinary cabinet session held at the Baabda Palace in the wake of the killing of al-Hassan. "This is a national issue and we are keen on preserving the nation. We do not want to leave Lebanon in a vacuum, " he added.
Meanwhile, on Sunday, President Suleiman gave a speech eulogizing slain al-Hassan during a ceremony held at the headquarters of the ISF, and awarded him the National Order of the Cedar in Grade of Grand Officer, saying "the slain general managed to thwart the conspiracy and prevent it through his soul and blood. "
He also addressed the politicians and government officials, calling on them to provide no cover for the perpetrators.
Meanwhile, following the Sunday protests, Lebanon's opposition leader, former Prime Minister Saad Hariri, called on angry mobs protesting the assassination of al-Hassan to immediately "withdraw from the streets."
Hariri said "I call on all protesters to withdraw from the streets now. We want Lebanon to remain peaceful and democratic."
Also, Future bloc leader former Prime Minister Fouad Siniora called on protesters also to demonstrate peacefully and refrain from resorting to any violent actions. He said "I call on all the protesters not to resort to violence."
BEIRUT, Oct. 21 (Xinhua) -- Lebanon's opposition leader, former Prime Minister Saad Hariri called Sunday on angry mobs protesting the assassination of Internal Security Forces intelligence chief Wissam al-Hassan to immediately "withdraw from the streets."
Following al-Hassan's funeral held in downtown Beirut, demonstrators attempted to storm the Grand Serail, the headquarters of Prime Minister Najib Miqati, and clashed with the police in charge of the official building's security who used teargas to prevent them from storming the Serail. Full story
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