Families of Beirut blast victims want officials prosecuted

Families of the victims of last year’s massive blast at Beirut’s port have rallied in the Lebanese capital to pressure parliament to lift immunity on three lawmakers as requested by the judge leading the investigation into the explosion

BEIRUT -- Families of the victims of last year’s massive blast at Beirut’s port protested in the capital on Friday to pressure parliament to lift immunity on three legislators as requested by the judge leading the investigation into the explosion. One of the protests took place near the residency of Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, where the legislature’s justice committee was meeting over the immunity request. Lebanese troops pushed the protesters back from the tightly-secured building. Many Lebanese blame the country's ruling elites for negligence that led to the port explosion. “You blew up Beirut and put people in coffins,” read a banner carried by one of the protesters.