Protests take over capitals of Chile, Lebanon

Beirut protest.
(Image credit: ANWAR AMRO/AFP via Getty Images))

Protests have rocked both Chile and Lebanon this weekend.

A state of emergency has been declared in Santiago, the Chilean capital, after protests stemming from a hike in public transportation fares became violent Friday evening — the state of emergency is a result of Chile's dictatorship-era constitution and can last for 15 days. Soldiers reportedly returned to Santiago's streets Saturday for the first time since a devastating earthquake hit the country in 2010, The Guardian reports. There reportedly is no curfew at the moment, though the government does have the power to implement one.

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Meanwhile, in Lebanon, thousands of demonstrators reportedly gathered Saturday in downtown Beirut for a third consecutive day of protests. The protesters are calling for the resignation of the government, which is considered to consist of the same political ruling class that has led the country since 1975.

At least 136 people have been detained since the protests began Thursday evening. Nearly all of them were reportedly released Saturday, but many reportedly appeared to have sustained significant injuries.

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Tim O'Donnell

Tim is a staff writer at The Week and has contributed to Bedford and Bowery and The New York Transatlantic. He is a graduate of Occidental College and NYU's journalism school. Tim enjoys writing about baseball, Europe, and extinct megafauna. He lives in New York City.