FPM: Activists Intimidated in Tripoli, Security Forces 'Dissociated Themselves'
The Free Patriotic Movement on Monday said its activists were “intimidated” on Sunday in the northern city of Tripoli by “some fanatics,” accusing security forces of “dissociating themselves from protecting citizens.”
“The latest period has witnessed numerous intimidation and assault incidents against FPM activists in the North region in general and in Tripoli in particular, the latest of which was on Sunday during the annual breakfast organized by al-Mina committee for the activists and supporters of the FPM and their families,” the FPM’s media department said in a statement, noting that security forces were informed of the gathering.
“The organizers noticed the presence of three police vehicles and a vehicle belonging to the (Internal Security Forces) Intelligence Bureau outside the restaurant, which were surrounded by young men carrying weapons and walkie-talkies and talking to the security forces,” the FPM added.
It said the number of young men soon increased before they “approached the restaurant’s entrance and disrupted traffic on the street, standing in the way of those arriving at the restaurant and trying to stop them from entering.”
“They launched threats, warning that they would destroy and torch the restaurant,” the FPM said in its statement.
The FPM said it was not surprised by “the acts of those extremist fanatics” and that it got used to their “hooliganism,” but condemned the security forces for “dissociating themselves from their mission of protecting citizens and leaving the arena to the fanatics.”
The FPM accused security forces of “trying to negotiate in their name,” noting that “one of al-Mina police station members telephoned the restaurant’s owner, trying to convince him to remove the FPM flag hoisted over the restaurant’s entrance alongside the Lebanese flag, in order to be able to convince the ‘young men’ to withdraw.”
The movement called on the interior ministry to address the incident, urging “accountability.”
It also rejected that Tripoli be turned into an “emirate”, lauding the army for “its prompt and strict intervention which spared the city a civil strife.”
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