People Gather Outside Lebanese Bank as Depositor Demands Access to Savings

A large group of people gathered outside a BLOM Bank in Beirut, Lebanon, on Friday, September 16, as a depositor inside was demanding the release of his deposits, local media reported.

Footage recorded by Mohamad Rhaymi shows the situation in the Tariq al-Jedideh neighborhood.

Local media reported said security forces had been called and the man remained locked inside the bank on Friday afternoon.

According to local media, at least five Lebanese banks had been stormed by depositors on Friday.

The Association of Banks in Lebanon (ABL) said in a statement on Friday that banks in the country would close from September 19-21 following “the repeated attacks on banks and the physical assaults”. The ABL will meet early next week to consider its next steps, the statement added.

Lebanon’s currency crisis has caused banks to restrict customers’ access to deposits, leading to several incidents in which depositors have demanded access. Credit: Mohamad Rhaymi via Storyful

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