Lebanese anti-government protesters chant slogans as they hold their national flag outside the Environment Ministry, in support of activists staging a sit-in inside, in downtown Beirut, Lebanon, Tuesday, Sept. 1, 2015. Lebanese security forces dragged a number of activists out of the Environment Ministry in downtown Beirut, where they were staging an hours-long sit-in on Tuesday demanding the minister’s resignation over a trash crisis that has ignited mass protests. (AP Photo/Bilal Hussein)
Lebanese red cross volunteers treat an injured woman during clashes between protesters and Lebanese riot policemen outside the Environment Ministry, in downtown Beirut, Lebanon, Tuesday, Sept. 1, 2015. Lebanese security forces dragged a number of activists out of the Environment Ministry in downtown Beirut, where they were staging an hours-long sit-in on Tuesday demanding the minister’s resignation over a trash crisis that has ignited mass protests. (AP Photo/Bilal Hussein)
Lebanese anti-government protesters clash with riot policemen outside the Environment Ministry in support of activists staging a sit-in inside, in downtown Beirut, Lebanon, Tuesday, Sept. 1, 2015. Lebanese security forces dragged a number of activists out of the Environment Ministry in downtown Beirut, where they were staging an hours-long sit-in on Tuesday demanding the minister’s resignation over a trash crisis that has ignited mass protests. (AP Photo/Bilal Hussein)
A Lebanese policeman, center, walks between anti-government activists sitting cross-legged on the floor, during a protest against the minister Mohammed Machnouk inside the Environment Ministry, in downtown Beirut, Lebanon, Tuesday, Sept. 1, 2015. Lebanese protesters broke into the Environment Ministry in downtown Beirut Tuesday, demanding the resignation of the minister over the country’s snowballing trash crisis. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar)
REUTERS/Aziz Taher
A Lebanese policeman, right, tries to drags away an anti-government activist during a sit-in protest against Environment Minister Mohammed Machnouk, inside the Environment Ministry, in downtown Beirut, Lebanon, Tuesday, Sept.1, 2015. Lebanese protesters broke into the Environment Ministry in downtown Beirut Tuesday, demanding the resignation of the minister over the country’s snowballing trash crisis. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar)
A Lebanese policeman, right, tries to drags away an anti-government activist during a sit-in protest against Environment Minister Mohammed Machnouk, inside the Environment Ministry, in downtown Beirut, Lebanon, Tuesday, Sept.1, 2015. Lebanese protesters broke into the Environment Ministry in downtown Beirut Tuesday, demanding the resignation of the minister over the country’s snowballing trash crisis. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar)
Lebanese anti-government activists hang on to each other during a sit-in protest against Environment Minister Mohammed Machnouk, inside the Environment Ministry, in downtown Beirut, Lebanon, Tuesday, Sept.1, 2015. Lebanese protesters broke into the Environment Ministry in downtown Beirut Tuesday, demanding the resignation of the minister over the country’s snowballing trash crisis. Angry protests over the government’s failure to deal with the garbage crisis have evolved into the most serious anti-government demonstrations in Lebanon in years with the protesters seeing to challenge an entire political class that has dominated Lebanon since its civil war ended in 1990. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar)
REUTERS/Mohamed Azakir
A Lebanese worker sets up a tall metal fence as an extra security measure around the Lebanese government building after the anti-government protesters remove the barbered wire barriers during the last demonstration, in downtown Beirut, Lebanon, Tuesday, Sept. 1, 2015. Angry protests over the government’s failure to deal with the garbage crisis have evolved into the most serious anti-government protests in Lebanon in years. The protesters seek to challenge an entire political class that has dominated Lebanon since its civil war ended in 1990. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla
Lebanese workers set up tall metal barricades as an extra security measure around the Lebanese government building after anti-government protesters removed the barbered wires barriers during the last demonstration, in downtown Beirut, Lebanon, Tuesday, Sept. 1, 2015. Angry protests over the government’s failure to deal with the garbage crisis have evolved into the most serious anti-government protests in Lebanon in years. The protesters seek to challenge an entire political class that has dominated Lebanon since its civil war ended in 1990. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla)
#khazen – What is Next we should focus on electing a Lebanese President? Keep lebanon safe & we need to vote for a #LebanesePresident first – Pray for Lebanon!! #Lebanon
Daily Star:Riot police cleared You Stink campaign protesters Tuesday from the Environment Ministry in Downtown Beirut, hours after activists began a sit-in calling for the minister’s resignation over the protracted trash crisis. Gen. Mohammad Ayyoubi asked all media to leave the building as riot police prepared to clear the floor where protesters continued their sit-in.
One hour later, police were seen carrying protesters out of the building, some of them with bruise marks and others handcuffed, witnesses said. LBC TV host Joe Maalouf, who was present when riot police began clearing the floor, said that protesters and media members were beaten and dragged from the building. An activist, who preferred to remain anonymous, said 14 protesters were still inside the Environment Ministry. All protesters were removed from the building by 9:30 p.m. Activist Mohammad Najem, who was among the last group of protesters to leave the building, underlined that they were not forced to remain inside by security forces. At least one thousand protesters, flanked by riot police, remain camped out at various entrances to the complex, chanting for the resignation of the environment minister. Two hours into the sit-in, the protesters inside the Environment Ministry appeared to be suffering from the heat after employees turned off the air conditioning and electricity, one of the activists announced on Facebook.
BBC news, Activists in Lebanon have occupied the environment ministry, in the latest "You Stink" protest over rotting rubbish in the capital, Beirut.
A video posted on social media showed rows of people sitting on the floor and demanding the resignation of Environment Minister Mohammed Machnouk.
It follows weeks of protests over the government’s failure to remove growing piles of waste on the streets.
