On day 118, the revolution asserts: “No Confidence”
- Thousands hit the streets in Beirut to block a parliamentary vote of confidence for PM Hassan Diab’s cabinet. Clouds of tear gas inundated a barricaded Martyr’s Square, as well as Zoukak el Blat, the seaside road, and other entrances to parliament.
- Protesters tore down an erected wall and hurled back stones at security forces shooting water and tear gas. More than 280 injuries were registered in the ranks of protesters as a result of attacks by the army, security forces, and Amal Movement supporters protecting MPs. Protesters set fire to Blom Bank in Riyad el Solh and threw eggs at the convoy of Minister Demianos Kattar. Others ambushed the convoy of MP Salim Saadeh who showed up at parliament with a black eye. The session ended at 7:30 PM, granting confidence to Diab’s government.
With water cannons and tear gas, parliament grants confidence to Diab’s government
- Behind walls of concrete and police violence, 63 parliament members gave Hassan Diab’s government their vote of confidence. 20 voted against and 1 abstained. The session, scheduled for 11AM, was delayed by more than 40 minutes due to lack of quorum, with Amal Movement, Hezbollah, Free Patriotic Movement, and Tashnag blocs present. Quorum was eventually secured upon the arrival of Jumblatt’s Progressive Socialist Party Bloc, raising the number to 67 attendees out of 128.
- Once quorum was met, members of the Future Movement and Lebanese Forces blocs attended, totaling more than 84 in attendance. The FPM, Amal Movement, and Hezbollah blocs voted “for confidence”, as Future Movement, Lebanese Forces, and the PSP voted “no confidence.” The only bloc to fully boycott the session was that of the Kataeb Party.
7 protesters arrested, including 2 minors
- 7 demonstrators were arrested from downtown Beirut on Tuesday, as they were protesting against the parliamentary session granting confidence to Hassan Diab’s government.
- 2 were released immediately and transferred to the hospital because of injuries resulting from police brutality, and 2 others were released late into the evening. 3 detainees currently remain under investigation and await a decision by the attorney general.
- 2 of the 7 arrested protesters were minors, according to the Lawyer’s Committee to Defend Protesters in Lebanon, who followed up on all the cases.
Murder-suicide in Ouzai police station leaves officer dead
- A man visiting his brother detained at the Ouzai police station shot Captain Jalal Shreif dead before turning the gun on himself and taking his own life. Several other injuries were reported, and 29 out of 32 detainees escaped the station in the ensuing chaos.
- The visitor, identified as Hasan Hussein, got ahold of Captain Shreif’s gun when the captain intervened to stop a fight between Hussein and his detained brother.
- PM Hassan Diab released a statement saying that the authority of the state will not be weakened in any way or form, adding that security forces are the image of the state.
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