Report: Fahmi Adopts New Plan to Deal with 'Non-Peaceful' Protesters

Interior Minister Mohammed Fahmi said he adopted a new strategy to deal with “non-peaceful” demonstrators, affirming that he fully supports the “rightful" demands of peaceful movements, the Saudi Asharq al-Awsat reported on Saturday.

Fahmi said he set a new plan in place a “new strategy for dealing with non-peaceful demonstrators, not peaceful ones, to whom I belong in their rightful demands maintained by law in expressing opinion, sit-in, and peaceful demonstrations.”

The Minister added that “rioters attack public property, private property and security forces which deviates the rightful demands of the movement. I don’t believe that road blockages are legitimate.”

Over accusations fired at him by activists that he is trying to break up the protests, Fahmi said: “I do not intend to break up the movement and its rightful demands, but I want to protect the citizens and peaceful protesters and to prevent chaos in light of the painful situation we are in.”

Last week Fahmi was slammed on social media over a security decision to remove barriers from the main protest square in downtown Beirut.

Protesters said security forces embarked on removing the iron barriers at the entrance of Martyrs Square which Fahmi argued was “aimed at facilitating traffic in the capital.”