Five Wounded as Student Demo Escalates into Clashes with Security Forces
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.”
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