Five activists from the #YouStink (طلعت ريحتكم) movement were taken into police custody earlier today and one of them was severely injured after he was brutally beaten by the ISF. The activists (Lucien Bourjeily, Waref Sleiman, Hassan Chamas and Ihab Abu Mujahid ) were all released afterwards and a new demonstration is now scheduled for Saturday the 22nd of August at 6pm.
The police was caught on tape beating up protesters, including women protesters. Water cannons and batons were used and Activist Bilal Allaw was taken to the emergencies at AUBMC following a severe beating by the police.
I don’t care what sparked the fight but the riot police has no right to beat up protesters and this is totally unacceptable! The garbage crisis is affecting all of us and these activists are the only ones defying corruption and asking for a change and their movement is picking up. If anything, the police should be arresting those who are hiding and burning trash in nature or trying to smuggle garbage out of their area to dump it illegally elsewhere!
Here’s another [video] showing the riot police assaulting protesters. You can check out more videos and pictures on [Tol3etRi7etkoun page].
The NY Times wrote about what happened yesterday, check it out [here].
The real problem is a lack of solidarity, let a lone a nation wide protest. The protests are focused on Beirut, had they concerned more regions it would probably stretch out the government’s ability to neutralize or contain them. I’m especially making allusions to regions like Jounieh, Jbeil, Batroun, Tripoli and higher up in the mountains and into the Bekaa valley and South.
Right now the media isn’t showing enough of the protests, well maybe a few select stations, the rest are waving them off. From the pictures I can tell that there aren’t THAT much people protesting, albeit general fear since the bigger the number the less able the ISF and Fouhoud are able or dare respond (in my honest opinion I don’t see most of them as cops so much as armed thugs with little to no ability to think). Add to that logistics, going to Beirut just to protest is a hassle in the absence of proper public transport, let’s face it, I’m not spending 20+ dollars just to come protest, get wet and possibly end up beaten up in a jail cell.
Just as soon as you start developing hope for that country you run across a statement like that “I’m not spending 20+ dollars just to come protest, get wet and possibly end up beaten up in a jail cell” … Jesus man what the hell do you expect?! there is no other way around! at the end of the day it really depends on how much you care…. If you are far away from Beirut why not organize something in your own town? what do you mean had “they” concerned more regions? there is no they … it’s you, it’s all of us. Go and do something about it, get angry, you are literately surrounded by garbage and shit!
And btw if there are enough of us, nobody can do anything about it and nobody will get beaten up and arrested!
spot on Elie!
I’m not about to get sweety and ruin my hairstyle, makeup and outfit. It’s over 30 degrees and muggy. I’ll stay home and watch Turkish soap operas.
I need my daily fix on argeela. The only time I move my ass is when I’m on the dance floor at the club. I’m only young once, it’s all about drinking, smoking, partying. C’est la vie!
Toul 3mroun al lebnaniya bus awaya 3 naq. Move along now, nothing new here. Hell will freeze before the lebs make a change in the politics of this country. It’s so deep rooted and f*cked up, why even bother. The whole population needs to protest to see a change, not even 1% has gone to the streets.
I talk about myself first and foremost, but I have a legitimate excuse where I’m serving my family which is my priority until they are of age.
YouStink weren’t protesting peacefully
They tried to enter the serail by force. That’s why they probably got beaten. When they become peaceful and civilized, I might think of joining them.