• The “Depositors’ Outcry Association” has called for a protest in front of Beirut’s Parliament at 10:00 (local time) on April 16.    
• The protest will support the proposed lifting of the Lebanese Banking Secrecy Law, which is slated to be reviewed by Parliament during a session at 11:00 on April 16. It will also condemn the perceived shortcomings in the government’s plan to return depositors’ money. 

1. The call to protest follows the Cabinet’s approval of an amendment to the Banking Secrecy Law, reportedly allowing broader access to account information to supervisory authorities. Protesters will gather to express support for this amendment, which is a key prerequisite for unlocking a financial assistance package from the International Monetary Fund (IMF). However, demonstrators will concurrently denounce the government’s plans to recover depositors’ funds, marking a continuation of grievances driving previous demonstrations. For example, on March 21, the group staged a peaceful small-scale protest in Beirut against the government’s plan to return the depositors’ money over the course of 15 years. 
2. FORECAST: In this context, the slated protest is expected to draw a similar turnout ranging from the low to mid dozens. Security forces are likely to bolster their presence in the vicinity of the protest due to the high-profile location outside the Parliament building and are likely to intervene if the protesters are deemed to be behaving in an unruly manner that could disrupt the slated session. Disruptions to traffic near the protest’s locale can be expected from the morning hours. 

Those operating or residing in Beirut during the morning hours on April 16 are advised to maintain heightened vigilance and allot for disruptions in the vicinity of the Parliament building due to the slated protest and associated risk of unrest.