Mustaqbal Says Some 'Infiltrated' Peaceful Demos to Send 'Message of Intimidation'
Al-Mustaqbal parliamentary bloc charged Tuesday that some political parties tried to hijack Sunday's civil society protest to send a “message of intimidation” to al-Mustaqbal movement and its allies.
“Freedom of expression is a legitimate right for all Lebanese which is protected by the Constitution … but this right must be practiced while abiding by the laws,” said the bloc in a statement issued after its weekly meeting.
It acknowledged that “the peaceful demos that were called for by civil society activists and groups to demand a solution to the garbage crisis are in principle legitimate and justified, especially that the trash problem has aggravated due to the government's shortcomings in addressing this vital issue.”
But Mustaqbal warned that “this right to peaceful expression was quickly exploited” by “groups pushed by political and partisan agendas that resorted to violent methods to veer the democratic and peaceful expression off its course and drag the country into the 'well-known unknown.'”
It cautioned that the said political parties are seeking to “topple the political system and obstruct the work of government and parliament and undermine the last functioning constitutional institutions.”
Accordingly, the bloc described the alleged “exploitation” attempt as a “message of intimidation” from those who “were behind these violations.”
Throwing its “full support” behind the government and highlighting “the need that it continues to shoulder its responsibilities” amid the presidential vacuum, Mustaqbal noted that the “real solution for ending Lebanon's problems” would be “the speedy election of a president.”
Earlier on Tuesday, the cabinet ended an acrimonious meeting with no solution to the unprecedented trash crisis that has sparked violent protests and calls for the government's resignation.
The cabinet meeting came as people continued to gather in central Beirut for demonstrations that began over a trash crisis but evolved into an outlet for deep-seated frustrations over government impotence.
Some organizers of Sunday's demo at Beirut's Riad al-Solh Square had blamed “thugs sent by political parties” for the eruption of violence.
More than 100 protesters and policemen were injured in fierce clashes on Saturday and Sunday.
Y.R.
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