Beirut port blast activist resigns, many fear intimidation

Beirut port blast activist resigns, many fear intimidation

BEIRUT — The spokesman for relatives of those killed in last year's Beirut port blast quit on Saturday, following fears he had been intimidated into urging the dismissal of the lead investigator in the case.

Hizbollah and allies have accused judge Tarek Bitar of political bias in his probe into the August 4, 2020 explosion that killed more than 210 people.

Tensions came to a boil Thursday when seven people were killed in violence following a rally organised by Hizbollah and its ally Amal demanding Bitar's dismissal.