Lebanon erupted in protests Thursday over the government's plans to impose new taxes amid a severe economic crisis, with people taking their anger out on politicians they accuse of corruption and decades of mismanagement.

The protests started with few dozen people gathering in central Beirut and quickly escalated into some of the largest demonstrations since an uprising over a garbage crisis in 2015 with thousands holding scattered protests across the country.

Hundreds of people gathered near the government headquarters and parliament building in central Beirut where riot police were deployed. The protesters chanted: "Revolution!" and "Thieves!" - the latter a reference to widespread corruption in a country that has one of the highest debt loads in the world.

Some protesters threw stones, shoes and water bottles at security forces and scuffled with police.

The protests could plunge Lebanon into a political crisis with unpredictable repercussions on the economy which has been in steady decline. Some of the protesters said they would stay in the streets until the government resigns.

Protesters closed major intersections with burning tires and garbage containers, causing traffic jams. As the protests escalated, the minister of education declared that public and private schools and universities would close Friday.

Years of regional turmoil - worsened by an influx of 1.5 million Syrian refugees since 2011 - are catching up with the small Arab country. Lebanon has the third-highest debt level in the world, currently standing at about $86 billion, or 150% of its gross domestic product.

"We refuse what's happening in Lebanon... The failure of our government to do at least the minimum ... has given us no other choice than to take the streets," said writer and director Lucien Bourjeily.

"They are putting more and more taxes on us even though we cannot take any more taxes," he said.

When the motorcade of Education Minister Akram Chehayeb padded through downtown Beirut, protesters punched and kicked the cars. One bodyguard jumped out of an SUV and fired an automatic rifle into the air. Chehayeb rushed out of his car and pushed the guard away and prevented him from shooting again. No one was hurt in the incident.

Protesters also closed roads in other parts of Lebanon, including the northern city of Tripoli, Tyre in the south and Baalbek in the northeast.