A student in a classroom in Lebanon. (Credit: AFP)
BEIRUT — Lebanese authorities on Friday closed and sealed the VeréBleu amusement park in Dayshouniyeh, Metn district, after several young girls were sexually harassed during a school trip. The suspect, a minor employed at the park, was arrested Thursday by the Internal Security Forces (ISF).
The closure order was issued by Mount Lebanon Court of Appeal Prosecutor General Judge Mohammad Farhat, based on reports filed May 22 by the Broummana gendarmerie (No. 608/302) and the Office for the Fight against Trafficking in Human Beings and the Protection of Morals (No. 320/302), according to a statement from the state-run National News Agency (NNA).
An anonymous source familiar with the case, who is not authorized to speak to the media, said the closure was not a punitive measure against the park’s management, which has cooperated with authorities. Rather, the park was shut as part of standard legal procedures tied to the investigation, including checks on licensing, safety protocols and the retrieval of surveillance footage.
Fifteen young girls were assaulted
Students aged about six years old at the Saints-Cœurs Aïn Najem school were sexually harassed during an outing to the park on Tuesday, the ISF confirmed on Thursday, adding that it had arrested the alleged attacker, a 17-year-old minor who had recently been working at the site.
Surveillance footage initially led police to suspect three individuals. Authorities later identified the main suspect as a 17-year-old Lebanese boy who had recently been hired at the venue.
Police said the suspect was questioned in the presence of a juvenile protection officer and, after initially denying the accusations, confessed to harassing several girls while operating the park’s zipline. He has since been taken into custody. The ISF urged anyone who may have been a victim of similar acts to come forward.
The school also confirmed the incident following online reports alleging that students around six years old had been subjected to “alarming and indecent behavior” during their visit to the theme park.
A aforementioned source told L'Orient Today that 15 of the 112 students who visited the park on Tuesday — girls between the ages of six and seven — were harassed. The group was accompanied by eight or nine teachers and supervisors.
The 17-year-old suspect, the source said, was tasked with helping children fasten their harnesses before descending the park’s zip line. He held the role only during peak periods. While various rumors of the incident circulated widely on social media and in local media outlets, the same source described the contact with the kids as “superficial.”
The amusement park’s administration could not immediately be reached for comment following the court’s decision to close the site. However, in a statement issued the previous day, the park said it had “confidence in the justice system and the security forces,” and described “the physical and psychological safety of our visitors, especially children,” as a “priority.”
Support measures for children and families
The school said it has “taken the necessary legal measures” and is providing educational and psychological support to students and their parents. It added that the Education Ministry was notified Thursday morning and, in turn, alerted the juvenile protection office within the Justice Ministry.
“The Education Ministry is closely following the investigation and is working to provide the necessary support to the children and their families, in coordination with the school’s administration,” the school said.
The management of VeréBleu said in a statement that it had also taken legal action, adding: “We trust the judiciary and security forces. The physical and mental safety of our visitors, especially children, remains our top priority.” The statement also urged media outlets “not to spread rumors that could harm the children and their families.”
Ministry condemns abuse
The Social Affairs Ministry condemned the incident Thursday, calling it “a dangerous violation of children's rights and their physical and mental safety.”
“We are closely following this case with the competent judicial authorities, including the Justice Ministry, to take the necessary measures and hold those involved accountable,” the ministry said.
The case has drawn public outrage online and has been widely circulated among parent groups on WhatsApp. Some users criticized the school’s administration, while others accused accompanying teachers of negligence.
At least 930 cases of physical, sexual, and psychological violence against minors were recorded in Lebanon in 2024, according to a report published April 13, 2025, by the Union for Child Protection in Lebanon.
