DETROIT — Dozens of Arab Americans gathered in front of the Lebanese Consulate in Detroit, in solidarity with the anti-corruption “‪#‎YouStink‬” protesters in Lebanon.

The Detroit demonstration on Saturday coincided with a massive protest in Beirut, where thousands poured into a main square, defying heightened presence of security forces.

“You Stink,” an apolitical campaign, mostly led by young activists, has been on the rise in Lebanon since trash started piling up in city streets. The crisis started when the contract of Beirut’s garbage collecting company expired last month with no replacement in place. 

Lebanon boasts political and individual freedoms compared to the rest of the Middle East. But since “You Stink” protests have grown in popularity and garnered international headlines, security forces have beaten, arrested and fired at protesters.

In Detroit, protesters held signs that read “We can smell you from Detroit,” addressing Lebanese politicians.