Police fired tear gas and clashed with demonstrators in Lebanon's capital on Saturday at the start of a planned protest over this week's massive explosion that devastated large parts of the capital and killed more than 150 people.
Thousands of people were pouring into Beirut's main square, where they had set up symbolic nooses to hang politicians whose corruption and negligence they blame for Tuesday's explosion at the Port of Beirut.
The huge blast was caused by thousands of tons of ammonium nitrate improperly stored at the port for more than six years, apparently set off by a fire. It was the biggest in Lebanon's history and caused an estimated $10-15 billion worth of damage, according to Beirut's governor.
It also left hundreds of thousands of people homeless.
The protest Saturday was the first significant demonstration since the explosion and organisers planned to hold a symbolic funeral for the dead.