Libya: Youth Scatter Money on the Ground and Ignite Public Anger

Libya witnessed a widespread wave of anger last night, Saturday, August 9, after a video went viral that shocked and outraged social media users, documenting a group of Libyan youth scattering large amounts of money on the ground during a private concert, amid a severe economic crisis the country is facing.

The video, which was said to have been filmed in the city of Zawiya in western Libya, showed a number of young men throwing large quantities of cash onto the ground, before stomping on it with their feet amidst loud music, in a scene described by activists as "provocative" and "humiliating" to the dignity of the Libyan citizen who struggles daily to secure the most basic necessities of life.

This behavior comes at a time when Libya is suffering from a severe liquidity crisis, repeated delays in the payment of employee salaries, in addition to rising prices of basic goods, which has intensified the shock felt by observers.

Political activist Issa Abdul Qayoum commented on the video, saying:

"What these people are doing is disgusting, and it indicates breaches in the financial institutions' wall, leading to such a large amount of money reaching teenagers, to be thrown around in a foolish manner, not to mention the provocation to the majority who cannot find their daily bread."

Meanwhile, activist Abdullah Al-Shafie wrote:

"A shameful sight, at a time when the citizen cannot find his daily sustenance, there are those who flaunt money and throw it on the ground and then stomp on it with their shoes."

Blog writer Fathia Al-Farsi considered the painful scene "summarizes the gap between Libyans, between those who suffer and those who live in luxury."

Lawyer Issam Al-Tajouri also described the video as reflecting a deep societal and economic imbalance, calling for a serious discussion about the sources of this money and the necessity of monitoring irresponsible financial behaviors, which have become increasingly apparent, in his words.

This incident has brought back to the forefront the old yet new questions about the extent of financial corruption in the country and the absence of accountability, amid rising calls for strict measures to prevent the recurrence of such provocative displays, which many see as an insult to the dignity of the Libyan citizen in the midst of his suffering.