Lebanon Lebanon, officially the Republic of Lebanon, is a country in the Levant region of West Asia. Situated at the crossroads of the Mediterranean Basin and the Arabian Peninsula, it is bordered by Syria to the north and east, Israel to the south ...

Beirut Beirut ( ; ) is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Lebanon. , Greater Beirut has a population of 2.5 million, just under half of Lebanon's population, which makes it the List of largest cities in the Levant region by populatio ...

Mount Lebanon Mount Lebanon (, ; , ; ) is a mountain range in Lebanon. It is about long and averages above in elevation, with its peak at . The range provides a typical alpine climate year-round. Mount Lebanon is well-known for its snow-covered mountains, ...

sectarian Sectarianism is a debated concept. Some scholars and journalists define it as pre-existing fixed communal categories in society, and use it to explain political, cultural, or religious conflicts between groups. Others conceive of sectarianism a ...

society A society () is a group of individuals involved in persistent social interaction or a large social group sharing the same spatial or social territory, typically subject to the same political authority and dominant cultural expectations. ...

confessional A confessional is a box, cabinet, booth, or stall where the priest from some Christian denominations sits to hear the confessions of a penitent's sins. It is the traditional venue for the sacrament in the Roman Catholic Church and the Luther ...

social media Social media are interactive technologies that facilitate the Content creation, creation, information exchange, sharing and news aggregator, aggregation of Content (media), content (such as ideas, interests, and other forms of expression) amongs ...

satire Satire is a genre of the visual, literary, and performing arts, usually in the form of fiction and less frequently non-fiction, in which vices, follies, abuses, and shortcomings are held up to ridicule, often with the intent of exposin ...

visual art The visual arts are art forms such as painting, drawing, printmaking, sculpture, ceramics, photography, video, image, filmmaking, design, crafts, and architecture. Many artistic disciplines such as performing arts, conceptual art, and texti ...

Arab Spring The Arab Spring () was a series of Nonviolent resistance, anti-government protests, Rebellion, uprisings, and Insurgency, armed rebellions that spread across much of the Arab world in the early 2010s. It began Tunisian revolution, in Tunisia ...

civil society Civil society can be understood as the "third sector" of society, distinct from government and business, and including the family and the private sphere.Beirut Madinati campaign in the 2016 Lebanese municipal elections, drew inspiration from the You Stink movement and is seen as a precursor to the 2019 October uprising.

Background

The 2015–2016 Lebanese protests originally occurred because of the failure of

Lebanon Lebanon, officially the Republic of Lebanon, is a country in the Levant region of West Asia. Situated at the crossroads of the Mediterranean Basin and the Arabian Peninsula, it is bordered by Syria to the north and east, Israel to the south ...

's centralised waste management system, which had depended since 1997 on a single landfill near Naameh, south of Beirut. The Naameh landfill had an intended capacity of two million tons of garbage, but by the time of its closing in 2015 due to pressure of locals and activists, it had received over 15 million tons of waste. The site closed immediately and without any viable alternatives, it led to a garbage halt by Sukleen, the waste management company responsible for collecting waste in

Beirut Beirut ( ; ) is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Lebanon. , Greater Beirut has a population of 2.5 million, just under half of Lebanon's population, which makes it the List of largest cities in the Levant region by populatio ...

and

Mount Lebanon Mount Lebanon (, ; , ; ) is a mountain range in Lebanon. It is about long and averages above in elevation, with its peak at . The range provides a typical alpine climate year-round. Mount Lebanon is well-known for its snow-covered mountains, ...

. Thousands of tons of waste piled up in the streets during the peak of summer, causing environmental and public health risks. The garbage crisis quickly exposed deeper dysfunctions within the Lebanese state. When the

Lebanese Civil War The Lebanese Civil War ( ) was a multifaceted armed conflict that took place from 1975 to 1990. It resulted in an estimated 150,000 fatalities and led to the exodus of almost one million people from Lebanon. The religious diversity of the ...

ended in 1990,

Lebanon Lebanon, officially the Republic of Lebanon, is a country in the Levant region of West Asia. Situated at the crossroads of the Mediterranean Basin and the Arabian Peninsula, it is bordered by Syria to the north and east, Israel to the south ...

adopted a

confessional A confessional is a box, cabinet, booth, or stall where the priest from some Christian denominations sits to hear the confessions of a penitent's sins. It is the traditional venue for the sacrament in the Roman Catholic Church and the Luther ...

power-sharing model that distributed political office along sectarian lines, leading to widespread clientelism and weak governance. By 2015, these dynamics led to consistent crises in basic public services, such as electricity blackouts, worsening of the water infrastructure and an inability to pass a national budget for over a decade.

Lebanon Lebanon, officially the Republic of Lebanon, is a country in the Levant region of West Asia. Situated at the crossroads of the Mediterranean Basin and the Arabian Peninsula, it is bordered by Syria to the north and east, Israel to the south ...

had also been without a president since May 2014, leaving executive decisions a state of uncertainty. According to political analyst Marwan Kraidy, the waste crisis functioned as a “biopolitical flashpoint”, mobilising Lebanese citizens from different backgrounds and uniting them through their shared concerns and grievances over the inability of the state to manage standard needs like public health. The forming of the “You Stink” movement in July 2015 began out of this moment. Initially it started as a social media campaign demanding the removal of garbage, but it quickly grow into a call for institutional reform. The movement didn’t revolve around a single party or leader- it was led by multiple independent acvtivists, civil society groups and collectives that rejected the sectarian order. Despite being decentralised in character, the protests were unified by its demands for transparency, reforms of political systems and ending institutional corruption. systems. The rhetorics of the 2011

Arab Spring The Arab Spring () was a series of Nonviolent resistance, anti-government protests, Rebellion, uprisings, and Insurgency, armed rebellions that spread across much of the Arab world in the early 2010s. It began Tunisian revolution, in Tunisia ...

were and inspiration for the "You Stink movement". Protesters adopted slogans and strategies such as “the people want the fall of the regime”, and gathering in downtown Beirut’s Riad Al Solh Square. During these gatherings, the protesters often performed live music, street performances, political satire and art, reflecting both their anger and creativity.

Timeline of Events

July 2015: Landfill Closure and Garbage Accumulation

The Naameh landfill, located south of

Beirut Beirut ( ; ) is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Lebanon. , Greater Beirut has a population of 2.5 million, just under half of Lebanon's population, which makes it the List of largest cities in the Levant region by populatio ...

, was officially closed on the 17th of July in 2015, after years of exceeding its capacity. The Lebanese authorities were not able to put an alternative waste management into action, regardless of prior warnings. Consequently, Sukleen, the private contractor responsible for waste collection in Beirut and

Mount Lebanon Mount Lebanon (, ; , ; ) is a mountain range in Lebanon. It is about long and averages above in elevation, with its peak at . The range provides a typical alpine climate year-round. Mount Lebanon is well-known for its snow-covered mountains, ...

, ceased operations. Soon garbage began piling up on the streets, raising significant public health and environmental concerns.

August 2015: Protests Begin

A group of activists launched the "You Stink" movement on social media, as a response to the growing waste crisis. The activists were calling for government accountability and effective waste management solutions. The first major protest took place on 8 August in Beirut's Riad Al Solh Square, attracting several hundred participants. As the situation worsened, demonstrations intensified. Thousands of people gathered in central Beirut to express their frustration and concerns, on 22 and 23 August. Clashes erupted between protesters and security forces, who used

tear gas Tear gas, also known as a lachrymatory agent or lachrymator (), sometimes colloquially known as "mace" after the Mace (spray), early commercial self-defense spray, is a chemical weapon that stimulates the nerves of the lacrimal gland in the ey ...

,

water cannon A water cannon is a device that shoots a high-velocity stream of water. Typically, a water cannon can deliver a large volume of water, often over dozens of meters. They are used in firefighting, large vehicle washing, riot control, and mining. ...

s,

rubber bullet Rubber bullets (also called rubber baton rounds) are a type of baton round. Despite the name, rubber bullets typically have either a metal core with a rubber coating, or are a homogeneous admixture with rubber being a minority component. Altho ...

s, and batons to disperse the crowds. The excessive use of force was criticised by human rights organisations, and the events got a lot of widespread

media Media may refer to: Communication * Means of communication, tools and channels used to deliver information or data ** Advertising media, various media, content, buying and placement for advertising ** Interactive media, media that is inter ...

attention.

23 August 2015 demonstration

Lebanese army The Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF; ), also known as the Lebanese Army (), is the national military of the Republic of Lebanon. It consists of three branches, the ground forces, the air force, and the navy. The motto of the Lebanese Armed Forces is ...

units were deployed in central

Beirut Beirut ( ; ) is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Lebanon. , Greater Beirut has a population of 2.5 million, just under half of Lebanon's population, which makes it the List of largest cities in the Levant region by populatio ...

after the demonstration degenerated in street fighting between protesters and law enforcement. The Lebanese Red Cross said it treated 402 people in Sunday's protest. About 40 people were taken to hospital. Ambulances ferried out casualties after security forces fired tear gas, rubber bullets and water cannon at demonstrators protesting against what they call Lebanon's "political dysfunction". About 200 youths, some wearing scarves or masks to cover their faces, threw stones and bottles filled with sand at police and tried to pull down security barricades. Some demonstrators burnt fires. A tree next to a church was set ablaze, road signs were pulled from the ground and shop fronts smashed. The protest, organised by an online group "You Stink!" along with other civil society groups, attracted an estimated people on the streets of Riad El Solh Square in central Beirut. By 29 August, more than Lebanese took to the streets to manifest against the government's corruption. It began as small protest, but it has soon proved to become an uprising, with many protesters calling for a revolution.

September 2015: Escalation and Demands

In the beginning of September the protestors of the movement made a list of demands. Investigations into police violence, early

parliamentary elections A general election is an electoral process to choose most or all members of a governing body at the same time. They are distinct from by-elections, which fill individual seats that have become vacant between general elections. General elections ...

, and the resignation of the

Environment Minister An environment minister (sometimes minister of the environment or secretary of the environment) is a cabinet position charged with protecting the natural environment and promoting wildlife conservation. The areas associated with the duties of a ...

were on the list of demands. The movement kept its momentum and internal conflicts arose over tactics and goals. Most of the protests went well and were peaceful, however certain groups called for more radical measures, which now and then resulted in clashes.

October–December 2015: Movement Plateaus

Protest fatigue, government inaction, and internal activist disputes all contributed to the protest movement's decline by the end of 2015. Limited waste removal efforts were initiated by authorities, for example storing garbage under bridges and in temporary sites. In light of this, a political campaign called

Beirut Beirut ( ; ) is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Lebanon. , Greater Beirut has a population of 2.5 million, just under half of Lebanon's population, which makes it the List of largest cities in the Levant region by populatio ...

Marinati was launched, with the goal of directing civil engagement into local government.

2016: Institutional Responses and Aftermath

In 2016, allegations of corruption and financial and logistical challenges caused the collapse of a proposed waste export plan by the government. Although complete waste management improvement were not put into place, some other landfills were eventually reopened. Even though the intentional goals were not achieved by the "You Stink" movement, their actions had a lasting impact on the civil society in Lebanon and set the stage for future civic mobilisations.

Role of Women

Women had a significant and visible role in the Women in the "You Stink" movement, both participating and organizing. Women were leading marches, coordinating logistics, running social media campaigns and speaking publicly expressing key demands. While it wasn’t the first time female activism was seen in Lebanese society, the "You Stink" movement significantly changed how women used their right to protest. They not only defended their own rights, but also protested against violence of the state, institutional corruption and structural patriarchy. During the protests a unique "civic laboratory" was seen, in which gender norms were actively discussed and challenged, according to political analyst Marwan Kraidy. Female protesters took their place at the frontlines during confrontations with security forces, strategically using their presence and reducing the likelihood of a violent escalation. Nevertheless, activists also pointed to ongoing challenges.

Feminist Feminism is a range of socio-political movements and ideology, ideologies that aim to define and establish the political, economic, personal, and social gender equality, equality of the sexes. Feminism holds the position that modern soci ...

groups such as the Lebanese Women's Democratic Gathering (RDFL) criticised the limited inclusion of explicitly gender-focused demands in the "You Stink" movement, stating that corruption and sectarianism were intertwined with

patriarchy Patriarchy is a social system in which positions of authority are primarily held by men. The term ''patriarchy'' is used both in anthropology to describe a family or clan controlled by the father or eldest male or group of males, and in fem ...

and

gender inequality Gender inequality is the social phenomenon in which people are not treated equally on the basis of gender. This inequality can be caused by gender discrimination or sexism. The treatment may arise from distinctions regarding biology, psychology ...

. Political scientist Abbas Assi noted that, while the movement succeeded in various aspects, it did not lead to structural changes for feminist agenda's. Despite these tensions, the visibility and participation of women in the 2015–2016 protests played an important role in laying the groundwork for future feminist activism in

Lebanon Lebanon, officially the Republic of Lebanon, is a country in the Levant region of West Asia. Situated at the crossroads of the Mediterranean Basin and the Arabian Peninsula, it is bordered by Syria to the north and east, Israel to the south ...

. Many women who had actively participated in the You Stink movement later became key figures in the October 2019 uprising where activism for gender justice was more integrated into the protests.

Political Reactions

Many people felt that the first reaction of the Lebanese government was insufficient and disconnected. In addition to expressing compassion for the protesters, Prime Minister

Tammam Salam Tammam Saeb Salam (, ; born 13 May 1945) is a Lebanese politician who was the Prime Minister of Lebanon from February 2014 until December 2016. He also served as the acting President of Lebanon from May 2014 until October 2016 in his capacity as ...

denounced the violent events that took place during the rallies on August 22 and 23, 2015. In the days that followed, he publicly admitted that the government was effectively paralyzed and warned that Lebanon was on the verge of collapse unless political consensus could be reached. During the height of the protests, the

Free Patriotic Movement The Free Patriotic Movement (, ) is a Lebanese political party. Founded by Michel Aoun in 1994, the party is currently led by Aoun's son-in-law Gebran Bassil since 2015. History Background For many years, while Michel Aoun was and exiled i ...

and

Hezbollah Hezbollah ( ; , , ) is a Lebanese Shia Islamist political party and paramilitary group. Hezbollah's paramilitary wing is the Jihad Council, and its political wing is the Loyalty to the Resistance Bloc party in the Lebanese Parliament. I ...

largely refrained from commenting, while other political actors, including the

Kataeb Party The Kataeb Party (), officially the Kataeb Party – Lebanese Social Democratic Party ( '), also known as the Phalangist Party, is a right-wing Christian political party in Lebanon founded by Pierre Gemayel in 1936. The party and its parami ...

and some independent members of parliament, voiced support for the demonstrators’ demands. Interior Minister Nohad Machnouk initially denied reports of excessive force used by police, but later announced an internal investigation after widespread footage of police violence was circulated on social media. The Speaker of Parliament,

Nabih Berri Nabih Mustafa Berri ( ; born 28 January 1938) is a Lebanese politician who has been serving as Speaker of the Parliament of Lebanon since 1992. He heads the Amal Movement and its parliamentary wing, Development and Liberation Bloc. Early lif ...

, criticised the protest movement for its lack of workable ideas while acknowledging the gravity of the garbage situation. He argued that genuine reform would have to come through existing parliamentary procedures. Foreign governments and international organisations made statements as part of the global responses. The United Nations Special Coordinator for Lebanon asked for inclusive dialogue and more response to residents' concerns, while nations like the United States and Germany stressed the importance of protecting the right to protest peacefully. Even though the protests did not lead to a major structural reformation, they did stimulate some limited official action. The Ministry of Environment initiated a proposal to export waste abroad, but eventually it was put off because of logistical issues and corruption claims. According to academics, the movement's capacity to bring about significant change was obstructed by the firmly ingrained sectarian framework of Lebanon's political system. However, the protests upset the political establishment and demonstrated the disruptive power of cross-sectarian citizen mobilisation.

Legacy and Impact

The "You Stink" movement had a long lasting impact on the public discourse, protest culture and Lebanon’s

civil society Civil society can be understood as the "third sector" of society, distinct from government and business, and including the family and the private sphere.Lebanese civic involvement, particularly for mobilising cross-sectarian and issue-driven action that directly confronted the country’s entrenched sectarian political structure. One notable outcome of the movement was the creation of Beirut Madinati, an electoral campaign composed of activists, professionals, and independent candidates—many of whom had participated in or were inspired by the protests. In the 2016 municipal elections, the campaign gained widespread support, securing around 40% of the vote despite strong opposition from well-established sectarian political alliances. Additionally, the movement prepared the ground for the broader wave of nationwide protests known as the 2019–2021 Lebanese protests. As protesters demanded accountability, transparency, and an end to sectarian clientelism in 2019, many of the strategies catchphrases, and personalities from the "You Stink" movement reappeared. Along with its organisational and political effects, the movement influenced a larger public discussion over governance, corruption, and public service delivery. The waste crisis garnered more media attention. Attention, which aided in the advancement of investigative journalism and civil control of public procurement and spending. Demands for increased transparency and more robust legal frameworks for accountability were stoked by these developments. In terms of culture, the protests contributed to the acceptance of civil disobedience and open protest as acceptable modes of expression. The movement’s protest art, music and satire remained relevant in Lebanese popular culture, particularly among younger generations. Many people consider the "You Stink" movement to be a noteworthy example of grassroots mobilisation in the Arab area, despite internal conflicts and a slow loss of momentum. In addition to highlighting the potential and constraints of civil society movements functioning inside highly sectarian systems, it signaled a significant change in the Lebanese public’s readiness to oppose political elites outside of established party systems.Beck, Martin. “Contextualizing the Current Social Protest Movement in Lebanon.” University of Southern Denmark, 2015
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References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lebanese protests, 2015-2016 2015 in Lebanon 2015 protests 2016 in Lebanon 2016 protests Aftermath of the Arab Spring Protests in Lebanon

Introduction

Background

Timeline of Events

July 2015: Landfill Closure and Garbage Accumulation

August 2015: Protests Begin

23 August 2015 demonstration

September 2015: Escalation and Demands

October–December 2015: Movement Plateaus

2016: Institutional Responses and Aftermath

Role of Women

Political Reactions

Legacy and Impact

See also

References