A number of revolutionaries in Tripoli entered on Monday a cafe where MP Jihad Al-Samad was present. They confronted him about the assault that the peaceful revolutionaries of Tripoli were exposed to recently in Keserwan.
They mentioned Walid Raad in specific, the young man who was brutally beaten by FPM supporters when he and his fellow protesters went to confront MP Ziad Aswad at a restaurant.
The video of Walid’s abuse circulated online, and triggered angry feedback from most Lebanese people, especially because the FPM supporters were telling Walid while beating him: “You’re from Tripoli. What are you doing here?”
While most Lebanese people reacted at that act of violent discrimination deemed sectarian, it was even more painful for the people of Tripoli, and for a good reason.
In recent weeks, they’ve been accused of being the rioters of Beirut, which totally contradicts the reality of what has been seen during this revolution about Tripoli and its pacific demonstrators.
The incident was deemed a set up by Aswad’s bodyguards who went beating up the protesters and destroying their cars; a woman and two minors were also reportedly assaulted.
Following that event, Keserwan took a stand of solidarity with the people of Tripoli and marched the streets of Jounieh protesting against discrimination and sectarianism.
The day after, supporters of MP Asswad countered it with a march of support for their leader.
These weren’t the only events that ensued from this attack. While the protesters were the ones beaten up by Asswad’s people, and their cars destroyed, MP Asswad reportedly proceeded in filing a lawsuit against 10 protesters from Akkar.
Those are the subjects that the protesters confronted MP Jihad El Samad with, and did so peacefully.
They told the MP that they only want to be represented by honest and efficient people, regardless of their religion or origins.
“We want a good person to represent us,” one of the protesters said, “because the citizens of Tripoli are good, and not thugs as they portray us to be.”
The confrontation with this MP, unlike others, went rather smoothly. Jihad Al Samad is a member of the Lebanese Parliament for the Denniyeh district.
He got elected twice, both in 2000 and 2018, and now represents Tripoli, Denniyeh, and Minya.
This revolution is not only against corruption and the Lebanese politicians, but it is also against discrimination, segregation, and territorial appropriation by political parties.
The Lebanese people can no longer tolerate these abusive acts. The revolution wants to eradicate such a mindset and attitude of despotism and sectarian territorialism.
The revolution is striving towards a strong unity which our nation so needs in order to finally live in peace and prosper. We are all Lebanese under our one Flag. No one has the right to claim otherwise.