Tires: Lebanon’s Flames of Protest Burning the Environment

Roads were being blocked with flaming tires faster than security forces could reopen them. For the protesters, it was a manifestation of anger and frustration. For everyone else, the burning tires were a source of headaches and traffic detours and, like many daily inconveniences, became fodder for jokes. Facebook users shared a graphic of the Lebanese flag with a tire in place of the green cedar and a cartoon illustrating possible valid uses for burning tires, including using them to illuminate streets at night. The smoke from burning tires can affect the health of the protesters as well as those in nearby neighborhoods. According to Najat Saliba, a professor of chemistry at the American University of Beirut, burning tires releases carcinogenic gases and particles. (Source)