Berri on Ain el-Tineh Incident: Police were Nervous over Coronavirus
After clashes between Parliament police and protesters over the weekend, Speaker Nabih Berri attributed the incident to “nervous” police members over the COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak, al-Joumhouria daily reported on Monday.
“God forgive all! Some have decided to protest near Ain el-Tineh (the Speakership residence) and the guards were nervous and pressured over security concerns and fears of coronavirus transmission. Moreover, due to some provocations, some lost their nerves and what happened, happened,” said Berri in remarks to the newspaper.
The Speaker said he supports the demands of “sincere” protesters.
Clashes erupted over the weekend between a group of activists and security guards near Ain el-Tineh.
Activists published photos and video recordings on social media showing vehicles with smashed glass. They accused the parliament police who is also charged with protecting the speaker’s headquarters in Ain el-Tineh of assaulting them.
On the Lebanon's negotiations with the IMF, Berri said he is interested in approving the reform projects. “Likewise, I am doing my best to unify the approaches of the government and the central bank’s financial file in order to strengthen Lebanon's position in negotiations with the International Monetary Fund.”
Source: Naharnet
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