Hezbollah and allies lose parliamentary majority in Lebanese election
PBS NewsHourNov 29, 2021
The Facts
On Thurs., as crowds gathered to mark the two-year anniversary of the explosion at the Beirut Port, a large block of the damaged grain silos collapsed.
The northern block of silos had been tilting since a section collapsed on Sunday, after which, authorities evacuated that area of the port. There have been no reports of injuries or deaths.
The Spin
Pro-establishment narrative
The Lebanese government has taken the appropriate measures to ensure the safety of residents in the area. The government wished to demolish the damaged structures to ensure residents' safety, but the fire accelerated the demise of the silos. Additionally, protesting families of the deceased, who want to preserve the silos for evidence in an investigation, have delayed the demolition that would have prevented the collapse.
Establishment-critical narrative
Lebanese politicians are to blame for this catastrophe. Some officials knew about the storage of the ammonium nitrate that set off the initial blast and others have failed to complete a proper investigation. If the government conducted a proper inquiry and issued warrants for those responsible, families would not be protesting the demolition and the collapse wouldn't have occurred.
