The United Nations is concerned about the Lebanese police using force against peaceful protesters during the anniversary of the Beirut explosion, UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said on Wednesday
UNITED NATIONS (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 04th August, 2021) The United Nations is concerned about the Lebanese police using force against peaceful protesters during the anniversary of the Beirut explosion, UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said on Wednesday.
"We stand in total solidarity with people of Lebanon and in particular the victims and families, some as you know were staff members of the United Nations. It is very important that there is a thorough and transparent investigation," Dujarric said. "But we have been concerned and we continue to be concerned at the force that we sometimes be seeing and we've seeing over the last year against peaceful protesters."
Earlier on Wednesday, a Sputnik correspondent reported that security forces in Beirut used tear gas and water cannons to push the protesters out of the streets adjacent to parliament. The police then used force after the demonstrators started throwing stones at them.
The protesters had taken to the streets on the first anniversary of the Beirut port blast and marched toward the Square of the Fallen and toward parliament, chanting anti-government slogans and calling for the resignation of political leaders.
"I think it's very important, and we've seen this before in Lebanon over the last year that security forces show restraint and allow people to demonstrate and express themselves peacefully," Dujarric said.
On August 4, a large explosion wiped out much of the Beirut port and surrounding neighborhoods, killing 280 people and injuring more than 6,000. The official investigation into the blast has failed to find out all the circumstances and identify the responsible individuals.
