WATCH: French President Macron Swarmed by Huge Chanting Crowd During Beirut Visit
French President Emmanuel Macron was swarmed by a crowd on Thursday as he visited Beirut in Lebanon following the tragic port explosion this week.
Macron walked through the streets with a team of bodyguards as a large crowd tailed him with anti-government chants.
Macron mobbed in Beirut. Down with the regime, locals chanted, and called for Revolution while declaiming Lebanon’s President Aoun. pic.twitter.com/4ntkZToUFj
— Quentin Sommerville (@sommervilletv) August 6, 2020
“Help us. Please help us. What are you doing to help us?” pic.twitter.com/44upgNq54o
— Quentin Sommerville (@sommervilletv) August 6, 2020
One woman begged the French president to not give any money to the government, prompting him to reply, “Don’t worry.”
Surtout ne donnez-pas de l’argent a notre gouvernement @EmmanuelMacron : “ne t’inquietez pas” pic.twitter.com/lMSwPd6n1s
— Rima Njeim (@RimaNJEIM) August 6, 2020
Macron held another woman in a long embrace.
This lady i witnessed today represent me. #Beirut #Macron pic.twitter.com/tah682jzti
— Serge Majdalany (@sergemajdalany) August 6, 2020
The French president said the visit was “an opportunity to have a frank and challenging dialogue with the Lebanese political powers and institutions,” and warned “if reforms are not made, Lebanon will continue to sink.”
At least 50 people died, with another 2,700 injured, following the explosion at the port on Tuesday which was captured on film in a number of chilling videos.
Stunning video shows explosions just minutes ago at Beirut port pic.twitter.com/ZjltF0VcTr
— Borzou Daragahi ?? (@borzou) August 4, 2020
Lebanese officials blamed the explosion on the storage of ammonium nitrate at the port.
