Taxi drivers arranged for a protest in Tripoli on Tuesday, to stand against the most recent decision of the Minister of Interior Affairs Mohamad Fehmi, who has decided to forbid cabs, vans, and buses to work during the complete lockdown.
Making rounds across social media, one of the protesters can be seen in the video pouring gasoline on himself and attempting to set himself on fire.
Fortunately, Lebanese Internal Security Forces (ISF) and multiple demonstrators managed to rescue him from doing so.
However, no solution has been given to the problem public transportation drivers are trying to voice out.
Their only source of daily income is through passengers. With the most recent governmental decision, drivers are now forced to go 12 days without any income.
With no daily income to sustain them and their families through the most difficult economic crisis in the history of Lebanon, public drivers have become some of the most vulnerable communities in Lebanon.
A total lockdown set to start this week will exacerbate the suffering of vulnerable Lebanese communities struggling to make ends meet unless the government offers assistance.
Outgoing finance minister Ghazi Wazni on Monday said that the government was dedicating 75 billion Lebanese pounds (around $49 million at the official rate) to struggling families hit hard by the lockdown.
However, counting on the Lebanese government for fair and transparent social assistance packages has become extremely difficult due to their history of shortcomings.
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