Riot police used clubs, tear gas and water cannon to disperse hundreds of anti-government protesters who dismantled a security barrier in Downtown Beirut Thursday

Riot police used clubs, tear gas and water cannon to disperse hundreds of anti-government protesters who dismantled a security barrier in Downtown Beirut Thursday in a fresh attempt to access a heavily fortified square outside Parliament.

Several protesters were seen carried away by medics after the violence erupted outside the An-Nahar newspaper building near Martyrs' Square. Several security forces were also wounded by protesters who chucked stones and other objects at them.

A number of protesters were arrested, including several peaceful demonstrators who had raised their arms in a symbolic gesture to show that they were opposed to the violence, but were plucked from the crowd by police.

The protesters had gathered in Downtown Beirut's Riad al-Solh Square and nearby Martyrs Square to keep up pressure on the government to solve the country’s nearly three-month-long trash crisis and end corruption.