Kubis Urges Lebanese Parties to 'Control Supporters', Avoid Exploiting Protests

U.N. Special Coordinator for Lebanon Jan Kubis on Monday urged Lebanon’s political parties to “control their supporters” and refrain from exploiting the protests that have been sweeping the country since October 17.

“The attack of last night of groups under Hizbullah & Amal flags on demonstrators again exposed how dangerous are such actions of political activists, how easily they can trigger confrontation, even sectarian ones, how challenging it is for security forces to protect law and order,” Kubis said in a tweet.

“I urge all Lebanese political forces to control their supporters, to avoid using the national protests for pursuing their political agenda,” he added.

At around midnight on Sunday, Hizbullah and AMAL Movement supporters attacked protesters at the Ring flyover near the capital's main protest camp.

Brandishing party flags, they hurled stones at demonstrators and taunted them with insults as riot police deployed to contain the violence and eventually fired tear gas.

The attackers also ravaged a nearby encampment, tearing down tents and damaging storefronts in their most serious assault on the protesters so far.

Hizbullah, the Free Patriotic Movement and their allies have meanwhile accused al-Mustaqbal Movement, the Lebanese Forces and the Progressive Socialist Party of taking advantage of the protests to advance their political agendas. The three parties deny the accusations, saying some of their supporters have joined the popular uprising without being instructed to do so.