Five Wounded as Student Demo Escalates into Clashes with Security Forces
إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية
Five people were wounded on Saturday when clashes broke out between security forces and students from the Phalange Party and National Liberal Party, reported Voice of Lebanon radio.
The students were protesting the new official history book that is being prepared to be taught at schools throughout Lebanon.
Phalange Party MP Sami Gemayel condemned to MTV “the brutality against a peaceful student demonstration.”
The demonstration began from the Phalange Party headquarters in downtown Beirut and made its way to the Grand Serail, also in downtown.
As they reached Bank Street, security forces prevented them from reaching their final destination.
A scuffle ensued and five people, including security forces, were wounded in the incident, said VDL.
It explained that the clashes broke out when the security forces thwarted the demonstrators from driving a car towards the Grand Serail.
It later reported that the demonstrators returned to the Phalange headquarters to meet with party leaderships to take a position from the day’s developments.
Phalange politburo member Albert Kostanian later told LBC television that the demonstrators were protesting peacefully, accusing the security forces of assaulting the students for no reason.
“It is well-known that the Phalange Party is very disciplined, but the state rejects freedom of expression,” he added.
Gemayel said: "This is only the beginning and a lot more protests will take place in the future over this issue."
“We hoped that the students would have been left alone to demonstrate peacefully,” he added.
“We hold the executive authority responsible for the assault,” continued the MP.
Gemayel had criticized recently the new history book, deeming its selective and subjective in recounting historic events.
Prime Minister Najib Miqati followed up on Saturday the incident.
Miqati telephoned Interior Minister Marwan Charbel and inquired about the clashes, he also contacted MP Gemayel expressing regret over what happened.
The premier and Gemayel agreed on sending a delegation from the Phalange party to state their demands regarding the new History book.
For its part, Free Patriotic Movement students department issued a statement condemning the incident.
The statement stressed that “the new History book will not be approved as FPM leader MP Michel Aoun promised.”
10 March 2012, 14:12
10
well done Security Forces: those Phalange are out of date like old newspapers! the only country in the world held such facists to be Legal.
10 March 2012, 14:22
43
If that doesn't work, then you can switch to armed opposition. No need for Syria to have problems in Lebanon. The Lebanese are their worst own enemy.
10 March 2012, 14:22
00
history means tell things the way they happenned in reality
but what bothers me is that they should say the causes and the culpirts of the events that took place ie they should say the perpetrators and actors ofthe 75 war and who was responsible and did this responsible got punnished
10 March 2012, 14:37
49
This wouldnot have happened if the protesters were Hezbollah supporters burning tires and blocking streets.
"je7a ma fy 2illa 3a khaltou " . Democracy what democracy?
10 March 2012, 21:33
20
get arms from the new syria in 2013 and start another civil war to change the status quo LOL
10 March 2012, 22:07
33
the filthy zionist media terrorists compare our glorious resistance rising up against treasonous goverment with some stupid phalange kids who don't want to learn history.
10 March 2012, 15:13
00
Whenever there is these armed Tripoli thugs fighting, or those electricity stealing theives from the southern suburb burning tires, the army exercises "restraint" and tannich on the law. But when a peaceful demonstration by students takes place, every detail of the law is applied... How unfair...
10 March 2012, 16:26
00
If those protestors were with syrian regime / hezbollah / islamist fundalists or anyone else then christians none of this would have happened ... "Double standards of democracy" all the way.
10 March 2012, 16:44
00
the signs of the weakening grip of baath on lebanon.. it is impossible for hassoun to make a christian 7th of may.
10 March 2012, 18:25
22
Abtal el jeish el lebnene.better said ashewiss el jeish.
So who killed. Samer hanna?
10 March 2012, 18:42
22
Here people get injured but when HA was down on the ground in May 7 killing and terrorizing, the army and the security forces were doing nothing but watching!!! What a joke!
10 March 2012, 22:09
22
yes yes we know you are very dissapointed that your zionist puppets who were in illegal goverment was brought down.
but on the other hand it's only your problem because you were stupid enough to rely on them.
10 March 2012, 20:11
00
The Fascist Phalangists and the NLP did not oppose the presence of Syrian troops until 1978. From 1978 to 2005 most political leaders and political parties supported the presence of Syrian troops.
To the Zionist "Yousef Haddad" ...In a democracy you have one man one vote. By the way, are Arabs and Muslims treated equally in racist USA?
10 March 2012, 20:12
00
The Fascist Phalangists and the NLP did not oppose the presence of Syrian troops until 1978. From 1978 to 2005 most political leaders and political parties supported the presence of Syrian troops.
To the Zionist "Yousef Haddad" ...In a democracy you have one man one vote. By the way, are Arabs and Muslims treated equally in racist USA?
10 March 2012, 20:21
44
Bigdig be patient we will come after you, just relax and wait blease
10 March 2012, 22:11
04
we are so proud of may 7 because our glorious resistance showed us that night how fast and effective they can clean garbage from our streets.
11 March 2012, 00:01
10
It's weird, Bcoz the whole world thinks you are garbage.. So how is that possible
11 March 2012, 00:45
22
how can someone defend that? amazing how state here does not work properly... but it is not the only country in the world...
11 March 2012, 08:21
10
and this is not racist? who is that garbage you are talking about? inoffensive people living in their homes?
this shows the extent of your hatred to others, and you are surprised thatother reciprocate!
10 March 2012, 22:41
00
Kataeb and Ahrar together just lke the old days ready to fight thoseSyrian and Iranian thugs. Chamoun and Gemayel look down from heaven
10 March 2012, 23:18
00
Students have a right to protest, it is suppose to be a history book not a propaganda pamphlet.
And for those brave men that are so proud of May 7, you should petition Nasrallah to put it in the new history book... "Armed Iranian militia takes control of the streets, another glorious victory but with a twist. This time Hezbela was not hiding behind the Lebanese they were shooting at them"
11 March 2012, 01:26
22
Read the banner in the picture. This is precisely why the Kataeb is vanishing and disintegrating. These people are an extension to their history of treason for which there is no room in the present or future.
11 March 2012, 08:22
11
and dealing with iran against lebanese people is not treason ? :)
11 March 2012, 02:30
21
they already vanished and disintegrated but they are not aware of it.
11 March 2012, 03:45
02
You think your MP qassem is proud of may 7 too. When his son was captured and killed in chwiefat.
11 March 2012, 04:42
21
the filthy zionist media terrorists cannot comperehend that patriotic lebanese are proud of may 7
11 March 2012, 05:04
12
filthy Iranian terrorists media cannot comprehend that patriotic lebanese are Disgusted by may 7 events.
11 March 2012, 09:35
10
Your time is coming my m8 friends...the greater part of this is that you know it. Stay in your little holes under ground, like your master who's scared to show his face in public. Your master hassan, what a nasty name, will be blasted from that hole one day along with his filthy agents who operate on this blog from their rat holes as well. The new plan for the middle east has been a long process, but it will end with you animals in your graves.
