One die in Beirut anti-corruption protest

A protester has been killed during anti-corruption demonstrations in Beirut, the first fatality since mass demonstrations began in the Lebanese capital on Saturday, the Red Cross has said.

The death comes as scores of people were injured in clashes between anti-government protesters and Lebanese police officers.

Ambulances ferried out casualties after security forces fired tear gas, rubber bullets and water cannons at demonstrators protesting against what they call Lebanon’s “political dysfunction”.

About 200 youths, some wearing scarves or masks to cover their faces, threw stones and bottles filled with sand at police and tried to pull down security barricades, the AFP news agency reported.

Some of those injured had suffered smoke inhalation, and at least 40 were hospitalised according to the Lebanese Red Cross.

On Saturday, at least 16 were injured during clashes with police, according to a Red Cross official, while the Internal Security Forces said more than 35 of its members were also hurt

Al Jazeera’s Jamal Elshayyal, reporting from Beirut, said the protests drew people from across the political spectrum, and the grievances expressed extended beyond the original anger at the government’s failure to remove rubbish.