This Is What Happened to Today’s Parliamentary Session in Beirut

Tuesday, November 19: After the events that led the legislative parliamentary session of last Tuesday to be postponed to this day, opponents of that session and what it aims to achieve decided to, once again, make sure it doesn’t see the light of day.

Yesterday, revolutionary activists flooded social media platforms with calls to prevent the session from taking place today, Tuesday.

They called for the formation of a human shield at 7 AM around the Parliament in order to prevent MPs from attending the controversial meeting.

The purpose of the human wall was fulfilled, and all the major entrances to the Parliament were blocked by protesters.

Most MPs were unable to show up in time for the session, which resulted in being postponed indefinitely, and those who did make it to the area did so using untypical methods.

The MP convoys that arrived at Abdul Hamid Karameh Street were forced to turn back and leave by the demonstrators, some of whom resorted to throwing objects at the cars in order to pressure them into leaving the area.

The security staff of one such convoy reacted by opening fire in the air to intimidate and separate the angry protesters, then went on accelerating in the middle of the crowds.

The escort cars ran over some protesters, injuring them, before escaping the scene in a rush.

Although the license plate of one of the cars was photographed and shared on social media, the MP to which that convoy belongs has not been officially confirmed.

Three names of MPs circulated social media and were each accused separately of being in the convoy, but that remains a matter of speculation as no official statements have been made in that regard.

Another convoy simply turned around and left the area upon reaching the street and, witnessing the size of the demonstrations, avoided any contact with the revolutionaries there.

Some confrontations took place between the protesters and security officers deployed in the perimeter.

Hezbollah’s MP Ali Ammar was recorded riding a small motorcycle as a passenger. He was driven to Parliament and dropped off in the area where protesters were gathered, before proceeding to the building on foot.

Protesters brought cookware and cutlery with them to the streets and made noise using cacerolazoand some also banged on various metal objects around the perimeter of the Parliament for the same purpose.

The session was indefinitely postponed due to the “current exceptional circumstances,” according to the Secretary-General of Lebanese Parliament Adnan Daher.

Reactions on social media have ranged from sarcasm and despise to cheering the people’s success and logic statements, like the Tweet stating: “When a deputy feels obliged to shoot at the people to enter the people’s council (parliament) it means that his legitimacy has fallen!!”

Naturally, since he no longer represents the people he had pledged to serve and protect.