Young extremists tried to prevent the progress of the pro-LGTBI march with proclamations against «all types and aspects of homosexuality on the streets of Beirut»
At least three people were injured in the clashes that occurred on September 30 in the center of Beirut between several participants of the Freedom March, in defense of the rights LGTBI, and a group of young extremists.
The clashes took place in the central Shohada and Riad al Solh squares, when a group of young people on motorcycles tried to prevent the progress of the march with proclamations against «all types and aspects of homosexuality on the streets of Beirut"reported the official Lebanese news agency ANN.
Shortly after starting the March, the young bikers tried to paralyze her while others «They went to the Ministry of the Interior to request an order and cancel it immediately«, in addition to threatening to confront anyone who followed her and chanting slogans rejecting the legalization of homosexuality.
El Progressive Socialist Party showed on his Twitter account «the rejection and condemnation of the attack against the population in the center of Beirut that occurred today, regardless of any consideration«.
In addition, he reminded the security forces that "they must arrest the aggressors and bring them to justice," since "They are obliged to fulfill their duty to preserve freedom«.
Extremist violence in Beirut
Numerous activists and human rights organizations criticized the violence of the extremist group on social networks, where several videos of the event circulated.
One of these videos shows a boy with a bloody head while others try to avoid a new attack by young people who they identified as alleged members of the Lebanese far-right Christian group 'Soldiers of God'.
The Beirutian NGO Legal Agenda, founded in 2009 by local lawyers and activists, claimed in X that security forces were forced to protect activists and journalists after the group of youths threw stones at them.
According to this organization, the continuous attacks forced the participants of the march to «replace it with a sit-in and issue a statement» in which they denounced the «methods of repression and attacks on public and private freedoms» and demanded «the implementation of the provisions of the Constitution» to guarantee freedoms.
Anti-LGTBI offensive in Lebanon
This event occurs almost a month after a group of extremists attacked a bar frequented by members of the LGTBI community that was hosting a show of «drag queenson Beirut, shouting slogans against homosexuality and even hitting some present, and that international Amnesty identified as members of the group Soldiers of God.
Likewise, the film «Barbie» arrived a week late in theatersl Lebanon after overcoming a controversial censorship attempt by the Minister of Culture, Mohamed Murtada, who saw content «promoters of homosexuality» in this blockbuster.
Hostile rhetoric against the gay community has increased in recent weeks, after the group's leader Shia Hezbollah, Hasan Nasrallah, was charged in more than one public speech against homosexual relationships, going so far as to say that those who participate in them must be "murdered«.
Although the Lebanon It is considered one of the least conservative countries and with the greatest freedom of expression in the region, the LGTBI community It still faces stiff opposition and authorities last year banned events organized by the collective.
