Screenshot of a video posted by Nadim Gemayel showing the Lebanese Army intervening in a fight between LF and FPM supporters at the Lebanese University, June 1, 2022. (Credit: Twitter/@nadimgemayel)
BEIRUT — A fight erupted Wednesday at the Lebanese University’s Faculty of Law and Political Administrative Sciences among students, and videos circulated on social media showed men in Lebanese Army uniform intervening to break up the fight.
Multiple students told L’Orient Today that the dispute was between supporters of the Lebanese Forces and the Free Patriotic Movement, after FPM supporters took down a photo of Bashir Gemayel and Samir Geagea that was hung facing the university.
However, a joint statement issued by the Free Patriotic Movement and the Lebanese Forces denied the claim and stated that the fight was a personal one that occurred between students.
However, multiple students confirmed to L’Orient Today that this was the reason for the fight, contradicting the statement.
Nadim Gemayel, son of Bashir Gemayel, posted a video on twitter of army soldiers beating a man, allegedly a student, and tweeted: “The worst thing that can happen in Lebanon is for the army to lose its prestige and respect in the only area where it continues to impose its power. We respect the army, support it, and appreciate its effort, but the excessive use of violence that has become systematic in the face of our young people has gone too far. Do not turn the army into a discipline division for the FPM! Our patience has limits!”The university, meanwhile, issued a statement in response to what was reported by some media outlets “regarding the problem that occurred between a number of students in the Jal el-Dib area.” The statement goes on to say “The Dean of the Faculty of Law and Political and Administrative Sciences at the Lebanese University, Professor Camille Habib, is interested in clarifying that the student problem occurred in the vicinity of the Faculty of Law - Branch Two, and not within it.”
The university, meanwhile, issued a statement in response to what was reported by some media outlets “regarding the problem that occurred between a number of students in the Jal el-Dib area.” The statement goes on to say “The Dean of the Faculty of Law and Political and Administrative Sciences at the Lebanese University, Professor Camille Habib, is interested in clarifying that the student problem occurred in the vicinity of the Faculty of Law - Branch Two, and not within it.”