Anti-Government Group Shifts from Street Protests to Political Opposition

Anti-government civil society group “Red Line” announced on Thursday a shift from street protests in Martyr’s Square against the ruling elite channeling to strict political work as opposition.

The group said it will join efforts with several protest groups that emerged after the October 17 anti-government protests against the ruling elite and corruption.

Red Line, one of the popular movement groups said in a statement that it “will stop participating or calling for any popular movement in Martyr’s Square,” taking into consideration the “exhausted, wounded and hungry people” of Lebanon getting down in the street without a specific goal.

It said “any future meaningful move is going to be distanced from Marty’s Square,” pointing to the fierce protests erupting on Centennial Day (on Tuesday) “marginalizing the purpose of our moves.”

“The central demonstration organized by the revolution groups on the occasion of the centenary of Greater Lebanon and the acts of violence marginalized the main message behind the movement,” said the statement.

Protests in Marty’s Square “are turning into an aimless apocalyptic violence with an assault on private and public property.”

The group said it will join efforts with several activist groups of the October 17 uprising to form a “political opposition front against the corrupt ruling authorities to change Lebanon through the parliamentary elections.”