A man has been arrested in Lebanon after robbing a bank and demanding money from his own account. Lebanon is currently undergoing one of the worst financial crashes in the history of the modern world and many people's deposits and savings are being withheld.
37-year-old coffee shop owner, Abdallah Assaii, robbed the bank in the town of Jeb Jannine in Lebanon's Beqaa Valley taking 7 people hostage. He demanded that he be given access to $50,000 held in his savings account. At one point, it is also reported that he poured gasoline over the hostages and threatened to set them on fire.
Despite the violence perpetrated, many have come out in support for the man's actions.
A local Imam said:
"We are asking the state to release Abdallah Assaii because he is in the right. We are all Abdallah Assaii."
While a local man told reporters:
"Abdallah managed to do what nobody could do in all of Lebanon. He didn't steal the money. It was his."
Even one of the 7 hostages appeared to give a supportive word, saying:
"I'm not against people taking their money, no one is saying that what's happening is right, but it's not the branch employees' fault. If [people] want their rights they should go to the [banks'] main offices and to politicians. They are behind what's happening in the country."
Lebanon's currency has lost 90% of its value in the last few years following a series of crises, including political mismanagement, corruption, the Covid-19 pandemic, a refugee surge from neighbouring Syria, and a massive accidental explosion in the port of Beirut which caused vast damage.
Many blame the nation's problems on a political class that has enriched at the expense of the people. Since the 1980s, Lebanon has been recovering from a brutal civil war and the country has made great progress. The current financial is the largest crisis since the civil war and has even united previous sectarian and political enemies in opposing the current ruling class.
[Based on reporting by: 9GAG]
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