Barely installed, already in flames. The banners bearing the slogan “A New Era for Lebanon,” unveiled on Thursday along the road leading to Beirut Rafic Hariri International Airport, survived only a few hours. By Friday morning, photos circulating on social media showed the signs reduced to ashes—targets of a deliberate act of vandalism.
Part of an initiative to give this strategic artery a more unified and welcoming image, the banners had replaced portraits of Hezbollah figures and Iranian leaders, including former general Qassem Soleimani. Their appearance marked a symbolic departure from the partisan imagery that had long dominated the area.
But not everyone welcomed the change. Less than 24 hours after their installation, the hopeful message of a “new era” was set ablaze, reigniting tensions over the contested representation of public space in Lebanon. An optimistic vision, quickly smothered by the enduring weight of political division.
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