Aswad Files Lawsuit Accusing Protesters of Injuring His Bodyguard
MP Ziad Aswad of the Strong Lebanon bloc on Friday filed a lawsuit with the Mount Lebanon prosecution through his lawyer Antoine Atallah.
The National News Agency said Aswad is suing the protesters Habib Najem, Alain Waked, Wajdi al-Arja, Rabih al-Zein, Carlos Zgheib, Ghassan Bustani, Michel Bustani, Charbel Zgheib aka Charbel Younan and Roger Akiki on charges of “harming one of his bodyguards and vandalizing public and private property.”
A clash had erupted Wednesday evening between anti-government protesters and supporters of MP Aswad and the Free Patriotic Movement outside a restaurant the lawmaker was having dinner at in Jounieh.
Aswad had tweeted that one of his bodyguards was injured after being run over by a car carrying protesters.
“They tried to storm the place and one was carrying a visible gun that was handed over to the Ghazir police station after which it turned out that it is semi-real,” Aswad tweeted on Thursday.
A circulated video meanwhile showed supporters of Aswad beating up and insulting a young man and telling him he had no business being in Keserwan since he hails from Tripoli. The video also shows a car with smashed windows.
A group of lawyers had on Thursday filed a lawsuit against Aswad’s bodyguards and supporters, accusing them of “inciting hatred and sectarian and regional strife” and calling for their arrest and prosecution.
Anti-government protesters have targeted several politicians in public places in recent weeks, mostly at restaurants. The protesters have argued that politicians should not engage in leisure activities at a time the country is facing its worst financial and economic crisis since the civil war.
Lebanon has been rocked by protests since October 17 demanding a complete overhaul of a political class which activists say is inept, corrupt and motivated by personal gain.
The demonstrations have reduced in size in recent weeks.
Source: Naharnet
| Copyright © 2012 Naharnet.com. All Rights Reserved. | https://naharnet.com/stories/en/268974 |