LF Supporters Rally on Maarab Road as Geagea Dodges Court Summons

Members and supporters of the Lebanese Forces party on Wednesday flocked to Maarab in their cars in solidarity with LF leader Samir Geagea.

The move comes after Geagea was summoned to appear before the army’s Intelligence Directorate as a witness in connection with the deadly Tayyouneh-Ain al-Remmaneh clashes. The summoning had been scheduled for 9am Wednesday and the LF leader did not show up.

The National News Agency said the roads leading to Maarab were completely filled by Geagea’s supporters and the vehicles that carried them.

“The atmosphere is calm and has not been marred by any incident,” NNA added, noting that the protesters carried Lebanese and LF flags, chanted patriotic anthems and shouted slogans supportive of Geagea.

LF lawmaker Chawki Daccache and ex-MP Elie Keyrouz were meanwhile taking part in the demo.

Geagea has stressed that he will not testify in the case if Hizbullah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah is not also summoned.

The clashes on October 14 left seven people dead, mainly Hizbullah and Amal Movement members. Hizbullah and Amal accused the LF of being responsible for sniper fire against unarmed protesters that ignited armed clashes.

Geagea has denied responsibility for the deaths, saying that residents of Ain al-Remmaneh had "defended" themselves against "Hizbullah militiamen who tried to enter their homes." He also said that a protester fired handgun shots and injured four people in Ain al-Remmaneh before any rounds were fired from the neighborhood.

The LF official in charge of Maarab security, Simon Musallem, two Amal Movement members, two Syrians and a Lebanese Army soldier were among 68 suspects who were charged Tuesday over the clashes by Judge Fadi Akiki, the State Commissioner to the Military Court. The rest of the charged suspects are residents of Ain al-Remmaneh and LF members and supporters according to media reports.