Another Lebanon bank raided despite increased security

Depositor makes off with $11,000 of trapped savings from Blom Bank branch in Beirut

A Lebanese policeman stands guard next to a bank window broken by depositors who had demanded access to their money. An activist group said it will continue to organise bank raids to help people retrieve their trapped savings. AP photo

A closed Byblos Bank branch, where a man was reportedly detained after allegedly holding up the bank to access his own savings, in Ghazieh, Lebanon. Reuters

A man identified as Abed Soubra inside a Blom Bank branch, in the Tariq Al Jdideh neighbourhood of Beirut. Reuters

Lebanese depositors inside a Blom Bank branch in Beirut. A group of customers, at least one of whom was armed, took hostages in the bank, demanding access to their savings. They were reportedly able to withdraw $20,000 from an account of one of the depositors before they left. EPA

An armed woman and a dozen activists reportedly broke into a Beirut bank branch to retrieve more than $13,000 from what she said were her trapped savings. Lebanon's cash-strapped banks since 2019 have imposed strict limits on withdrawals of foreign currency, tying up the savings of millions. AP Photo

A woman, identified as Sally Hafez, appears to be carrying a gun at a Blom Bank branch in Beirut, in this screengrab taken from Al Jadeed footage. Reuters

A woman is comforted as she is seen through a shattered window of a Blom Bank branch after a hostage-taking incident. Reuters

An ATM is covered with diesel fuel, vandalised by angry depositors. AP photo

Members of the Lebanese security forces stand around a toy gun allegedly used by depositors in a hostage-taking situation, at a Blom Bank branch in Beirut. EPA

People gather near a Blom Bank branch during an hostage-taking situation in Beirut. EPA

An unarmed man stormed a bank in Beirut and came away with about $11,000 of his trapped savings on Monday, only days after banks in Lebanon reopened with enhanced security.

The depositor entered the Blom Bank branch in Haret Hreik, a southern suburb of Beirut, with three accomplices.

The incident was confirmed by a security source who spoke to The National.

Lebanon’s National News Agency reported that four people “stormed” the bank. The Association of Depositors in Lebanon said the group was able to escape before the army arrived at the scene.

Banks in Lebanon closed their doors last month after at least seven branches were raided by depositors in one week, including five in a day.

Some — but not all — branches reopened last Monday with enhanced security measures and scaled-down operations. Most have allowed only customers who have an appointment, with a handful permitting walk-ins.

The closures came “after the repeated attacks on banks and the physical assaults on bank employees and their dignity”, the Association of Banks in Lebanon said.

The strike had initially been planned for only three days, but was extended to a week due to an “absence of any procedures or even assurances” from the government and security forces that would ensure a safe working environment.

Banks imposed informal capital controls in 2019, severely restricting access to hard currency and compounding the economic difficulties faced by people in Lebanon.

An economic collapse that first became apparent in 2019, described by the World Bank as one of the worst in modern history, has pushed most of Lebanon into poverty. The local currency has plummeted in value by more than 95 per cent.

There are severe shortages of basic essentials including bread, electricity, medicine and water.

The situation has forced some desperate depositors to take matters into their hands, with many in Lebanon praising their actions.