Hundreds of Lebanese demonstrated on Wednesday in front of the Palace of Justice to denounce the suspension of the investigation into the explosion at the port of Beirut, media reported.
The protesters, including several relatives of the victims, were allowed to enter the courthouse, which houses the office of the judge in charge of the case, Mr. Bitar, and hung a large sign with victims' photos, reading "You will not kill us twice".
The protesters deplored the "pressure and threats" against Judge Bitar. "The case is bigger than [that of] a judge. The case is [a quest] for truth," one of the signs read. "The people protect justice," read another.
On Monday, Judge Tareq Bitar, had to suspend his investigation after a complaint was filed against him, demanding his removal.
The August 4, 2020 explosion, blamed on the storage of huge quantities of ammonium nitrate without precautionary measures, killed at least 214 people, injured more than 6,500 and devastated entire districts of the capital.
