With the accounts of numerous Lebanon residents frozen, one man resorted to drastic measures: Thursday held several people hostage in a bank in Beirut to release his savings. He needed this money to support his sick father financially in the hospital.
The Lebanese man’s account, like many others currently in the country, was frozen, rendering him inaccessible. That’s why he held several people hostage in a bank. Armed with a handgun, the man entered the building and fired three warning shots, according to local press. According to the state news agency NNA, the perpetrator threatened to douse himself with petrol and set himself on fire if he was not given the money.
pathetic history
At that time, the Lebanese had about 200,000 dollars (about 193,000 euros) in his account. He urgently needed this money to pay for the treatment of his father, who is in hospital. After eight hours, however, the man gave up on his plan and reported to the police, according to security services. The bank nevertheless promised the Lebanese to pay him $30,000 from his account, the NNA reported.
solidarity with the perpetrator
After the crime, numerous people gathered in front of the bank on Thursday to show their solidarity with the suspect. A woman in front of the bank branch said, “Our corrupt system made the poor man do such a thing.” Many Lebanese citizens blame politics for the money freeze and the resulting poverty. This political elite is corrupt and plunges the country into a dramatic economic situation.
Poverty is felt across the country – for example, most households live on a limited number of hours of electricity per day. The water supply is also unstable, which means that many people have to live without continuously running water.
Currency has fallen sharply
The currency is also heavily taxed by the economic crisis. It lost 90 percent of its value. This is why many Lebanese have their accounts in US currency, as the Lebanese pound used to be heavily pegged to the US dollar. However, due to the lack of foreign exchange reserves, only very limited US dollars can be withdrawn in Lebanon. International supporters, such as the International Monetary Fund (IMF), only want to help if reforms are introduced. So far, however, the government has not complied with these demands.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
