Clashes broke out between Lebanese protesters and security forces on the morning of the confidence vote session on Tuesday, February 11th.
The protesters had decided earlier to overcome all obstacles to stop the session from happening, and the state had decided all the same to make it happen.
Two fiercely determined forces on the ground outside the parliament – the people and the ISF – and the outcome couldn’t have been but painful. Over 400 people were injured during intense clashes.
That parliamentary session was tasked to give the new government of Hassan Diab the confidence required to commence with governmental work. At the “exceptional security measures” ordered by the sate, protesters acted more adamant than ever to reach their aim.
They headed the night before to Beirut to block all the streets to the parliament ahead of time in order to stop the MPs from attending the session.
Chants of “No Confidence” have been circulating for more than a week now in Lebanon and even from the Lebanese Diaspora addressing the Lebanese officials with a video.
People’s anger has been reflected in the streets and on the internet since the beginning of the revolution and has further escalated with the Lebanese officials not responding to their cry for almost 4 months now.
Hundreds of people tried to stop this parliamentary session from commencing. Attempts to break into the parliamentary building have led to intense clashes between them and the ISF.
Tear gas, water cannons, and batons were used on the protesters to stop them from entering the building. Hundreds of security forces were posted through the streets surrounding the parliamentary building.
The aggressive force was used against the protesters, including men and women of all ages, resulting in more than 400 injured people.
According to the Red Cross that was on high alert since early morning, its teams treated 328 injured people on the ground, and 45 others were dispatched by their ambulances to the hospital, as of the writing of this report.
It is important to note that the Lebanese Red Cross has never left the protesters since the beginning of the revolution.
Wherever there is trouble, its teams have always been there to tend to the injured; 13 LRC teams were responding in the area of the clashes during these Tuesday’s altercations.
In addition to that, 14 extra teams have been on standby, stationed nearby to intervene if further help was needed.
Despite the unfounded rumors that the LRC ambulances were transporting MPs to the parliament, the Lebanese Red Cross has always been one of the most respected and honorable organizations, its volunteers always putting themselves at risk to save lives and attend to the wounded, freely.
The LRC’s professionalism, effectiveness, and neutrality are unarguable. They’ve never taken sides in confrontations, and have always been there for one humanitarian purpose.
Lebanon Red Cross in fact is a Red Line. We owe them all our respect and gratitude.
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