Lebanese defend man caught stealing shawarma
Social media users say the man must have acted out of hunger
Beirut: A Lebanese man was caught on CCTV camera stealing an entire shawarma rack off the grill at fast food restauarant in Beirut.
In the footage, the man quickly exits the shop carrying the shawarma rack, while the restaurant’s employees stood by in astonishment.
“Look at what hunger has done to people. Watch now what happens as he [thief] enters… he heads directly to the skewer,” the restaurant owner was heard saying in a voiceover.
The footage was posted online, and instead of users criticising the man for stealing, they expressed their sympathies.
Many said the man, whose identity is unknown, must have been very hungry to commit such an act.
One user said the man probably couldn’t afford to buy shawarma.
Another user, Nabil, asked, since when are people stealing shawarma? He noted that this happened amid the current political chaos in the country.
Lebanon is in the midst of a severe economic crisis with banks imposing cash withdrawal limits.
An Iran-backed PM candidate, Hassan Diab, has promised to form a government in “six weeks” but many observers are skeptical he will be able to meet the demands of the people.
Protesters have demanded Diab resign, accusing him of being beholden to Iran.
Lebanese have been protesting since October 17, calling for a complete overhaul of the “corrupt” political system.
The restaurant’s manager, Marwan, refused to tell Gulf News whether the shop would take legal action against the man.
-with inputs from Layelle Saad/Middle East Editor