Protesters outside Lebanese consulate demand accountability and justice one year after Beirut explosion
Members of Montreal's Lebanese community gathered outside that country's consulate on Wednesday to remember the victims of the massive explosion that claimed more than 200 lives one year ago.
The blast also left thousands injured and tens of thousands homeless. Attendees expressed frustration at the lack of answers from the Lebanese government over the circumstances that led up to the explosion.
“No one has been charged. We are still yet to know the truth about the investigation that we were promised five days after the blast. It impacted the entire country and the diaspora,” said Stephani Moukhaiber, a spokesperson United Diaspora. “No one is accountable for this murderous act. We're here demanding justice and to lift immunities from all government officials that are being investigated in this case.”
Montreal was one of 15 cities that was home to demonstrations, including Beirut.
Moukhaiber said that she takes solace in the Lebanese diaspora's response to the explosion.
“The good thing is the international network was able to mobilize very quickly. It took us an hour to be able to start to work on different streams and different tracks. A team to collect medical aid, a team to collect financial aid, a team to figure out what the environmental impact of the blast was going to be.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
More than 115 cases of eye damage reported in Ontario after solar eclipse
More than 115 people who viewed the solar eclipse in Ontario earlier this month experienced eye damage after the event, according to eye doctors in the province.
Last letters of pioneering climber who died on Everest reveal dark side of mountaineering
George Mallory is renowned for being one of the first British mountaineers to attempt to scale the dizzying heights of Mount Everest during the 1920s. Nearly a century later, newly digitized letters shed light on Mallory’s hopes and fears about ascending Everest.
Toxic testing standoff: Family leaves house over air quality
A Sherwood Park family says their new house is uninhabitable. The McNaughton's say they were forced to leave the house after living there for only a week because contaminants inside made it difficult to breathe.
Decoy bear used to catch man who illegally killed a grizzly, B.C. conservation officers say
A man has been handed a lengthy hunting ban and fined thousands of dollars for illegally killing a grizzly bear, B.C. conservation officers say.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau on navigating post-political life, co-parenting and freedom
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
An emergency slide falls off a Delta Air Lines plane, forcing pilots to return to JFK in New York
An emergency slide fell off a Delta Air Lines jetliner shortly after takeoff Friday from New York, and pilots who felt a vibration in the plane circled back to land safely at JFK Airport.
B.C. seeks ban on public drug use, dialing back decriminalization
The B.C. NDP has asked the federal government to recriminalize public drug use, marking a major shift in the province's approach to addressing the deadly overdose crisis.
'I was scared': Ontario man's car repossessed after missing two repair loan payments
An Ontario man who took out a loan to pay for auto repairs said his car was repossessed after he missed two payments.
First court appearance for boy and girl charged in death of Halifax 16-year-old
A girl and a boy, both 14 years old, made their first appearance today in a Halifax courtroom, where they each face a second-degree murder charge in the stabbing death of a 16-year-old high school student.