Head of the Future bloc in Parliament MP Saad Rafic Hariri said arson attacks against the Danish Consulate in Achrafieh, and the rioting that destroyed private property in that Beirut district aimed to torpedo national unity. He vowed the perpetrators will pay the price for crossing “the red line” of civil peace, regardless of their affiliation or nationality.
At a Paris news conference that followed the rioting in Achrafieh, which witnessed a large protest near the Danish Consulate, against some anti-Muslim media caricatures in Europe, MP Hariri said the violence harmed Islam and targeted Muslims not the Christians, since it embarrassed Muslims and will have very negative repercussions. He stressed that the Lebanese are united and will not halt their drive towards stability. MP Hariri said it was a “black day” in Lebanon, which is committed to democratic practice and freedom, adding tens of thousands of people had turned up for a peaceful protest but few hundreds managed to infiltrate their ranks and cause the widespread violence.
As head of the Future Movement, and a Muslim, MP Hariri said he will not allow the perpetrators to escape justice, and whoever is behind the violence should be held responsible. He made clear that foreign powers should not be allowed to manipulate Lebanon’s security, and that protests will be lodged with “our Arab brothers” and with the international community if investigations confirm foreign involvement. Asked if Syria masterminded the violence, MP Hariri said the Lebanese Army had detained non-Lebanese and the authorities will make statements regarding their nationalities, so that the Lebanese and the international community know who is trying to shake stability.
MP Hariri said he will not shield any shortcomings if there were gaps in security, but told reporters that security forces did not want to cause bloodshed, although those who infiltrated the protests sought confrontations with armed forces. He urged calm, but pointed out that today’s rioting in Achrafieh was dangerous.
In response to a question on whether the violence and yesterday’s protests in Syria near the Danish and Norwegian embassies were linked to the international probe into assassinated Prime Minister Rafic Hariri’s murder, MP Hariri said if that is the case, it will prove that the investigation is achieving progress and that some are harmed by this, Lebanese or non-Lebanese. However, head of the Future legislative bloc expressed confidence that the investigation will continue and the perpetrators of last year’s assassination will be held responsible.