Lebanon holds Independence Day celebrations amid unrest

The Lebanese government held a military parade at the Defense Ministry to celebrate the country’s 76th Independence Day on Friday.

Amid an ongoing political and economic crisis, President Michel Aoun and the other leading government figures attended the parade and sat together.

The day before, the Palace’s Directorate General of Protocol and Public Relations announced that the traditional annual Independence Day reception at Baabda Presidential Palace had been cancelled.

The traditional military parade in central Beirut had also been called off, AP reported, with a protest camp set up by demonstrators occupies the space it usually takes place.

Anti-government protests across the country are still ongoing, with students leading recent demonstrations against schools and universities.