Call for demonstration in Beirut's southern suburbs against government decision on Hezbollah disarmament

A call for a mobilization of Hezbollah supporters was launched on Friday, notably via social media, to denounce the decision taken on Thursday by the Salam government to regain the monopoly on arms, including Hezbollah's.

The statement, signed by the "Southern Suburbs Youth Gathering," called for a motorized convoy to depart at 6 p.m. from Mar Mikhael Church in Chiyeh, to the road to Beirut airport. It called on participants to "not speed" during the convoy and, above all, "not to attack the military and security forces."

Following Thursday's announcement of the government's decision to adopt U.S. envoy Tom Barrack's roadmap, which calls for the disarmament of armed groups before the end of the year, convoys of mopeds had already driven through the streets of Beirut, mainly in the southern suburbs, and several other regions of the country considered Hezbollah strongholds. Shiite ministers, including Fadi Makki, who is not affiliated with the Hezbollah-Amal alliance, left the meeting on Thursday to express their disagreement.