Two marches will take place on August 4th to honor the victims of the Beirut Port explosion and demand justice.
Starting at 4 p.m., the marches will set off from two locations: Martyrs’ Square and the Fire Brigade headquarters in Karantina. The two groups will converge at the Beirut Port at 5:30 p.m. to remind the world that justice is yet to be achieved following the devastating explosion on August 4th, 2020, which left over 244 people dead.
The team here at 961News had to document the full list of victims who died in the explosion since the government and its agencies are underreporting it by almost 50 people. This is why the death toll cited by 961News is the highest number reported.
Last month, a joint letter from rights groups and victims’ families called for international action in the Beirut blast case. The letter highlighted the ongoing struggle for justice and accountability, emphasizing the need for a thorough and unbiased investigation into the explosion.
The families of the victims have been regularly protesting to demand justice and several have even been summoned for interrogation.
Soon after the explosion it was revealed that the sitting president at the time, Michel Aoun, was informed about the dangerous materials stored at the port as soon as two weeks prior to the explosion. Despite this knowledge, no decisive action was taken to prevent the catastrophe.
Hezbollah and their allies have been actively disrupting the justice process and investigation into the Beirut port blast. This even led to a conflict in Tayyouneh that left 13 people dead. The government even rejected lifting the immunity of the officials wanted for questioning over the Beirut blast.
Ammonium nitrate, the explosive material responsible for the blast, is known to be used by Hezbollah for their rockets and by their allies in Syria in barrel bombs. The connection is further evidenced by the arrests of several Hezbollah agents worldwide attempting to source and transport ammonium nitrate.
We even found evidence of it in a Jnah facility that Hezbollah disclaimed. The former Justice Minister publically testified that the materials belonged to Hezbollah and were sent by Iran’s IRGC.
The families of the victims, alongside rights groups, are urging the public to join them in these marches to show solidarity and demand accountability. The event is not just a commemoration but a powerful statement that the fight for justice continues and that the voices of the victims and their families will not be silenced.
Join the marches on August 4th, starting from Martyrs’ Square and the Fire Brigade headquarters in Karantina, and let us all converge at the Beirut Port at 5:30 p.m.
