Police fire water cannon to stop violence outside US embassy in Lebanon

Violent protests outside the US embassy in Beirut, Lebanon, prompted security forces to use water cannons and tear gas.

Protesters today waved Palestinian flags, chanted pro-Palestinian slogans, threw rocks at security forces, and set fires on the street next to the US embassy.

Security forces used tear gas and water cannons to control the crowds, according toReutersRioters toppled iron fences surrounding the embassy compound despite repeated water cannon fire that pushed them back.

Protesters also burned American and Israeli flags and an effigy of US President Donald Trump, sending black smoke into the air.

Several people were injured by rocks and tear gas, according to AFP, but police have not yet issued a statement.

The US Embassy in Beirut issued a warning on December 8 that "several groups have announced plans to protest" and there is some information about "possible protests" on December 10.

"There is a risk that the protests will turn violent. The US Embassy in Beirut reminds US citizens to exercise caution and be aware of their personal safety," the embassy said, urging US citizens to stay away from any protests.

The decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital has sparked protests across the Middle East, with many seeing it as a clear pro-Israel move that threatens the decades-long peace process.

Lebanese President Michel Aoun also attacked Mr Trump's decision, calling it a dangerous move. Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri said Beirut "stands in solidarity with the Palestinian people" and "the right to establish an independent state with Jerusalem as its capital."

Some 450,000 Palestinian refugees are living in camps across Lebanon.The United States is the first country to plan to move its embassy to Jerusalem, while other countries with diplomatic relations with Israel have representative offices in Tel Aviv.

Jerusalem is home to many holy sites in Judaism, Islam and Christianity, particularly in East Jerusalem. Israel captured and annexed East Jerusalem in a move not internationally recognized in the 1967 Middle East war, and considers all of Jerusalem its undivided capital.

Meanwhile, the Palestinian side claims East Jerusalem as the capital of a future state. UN Resolution 181 of 1947 clearly states that Jerusalem is under international administration, not Israeli territory.

According to VNE