Conflict Incident Report

A protest was held in Beirut in defiance of Interior Minister Nouhad Machnouk’s ban on all demonstrations, and another rally is planned for Tuesday.

The National Committee of Veterans of the Armed Forces held a protest in Beirut on Monday, while the National Federation of Worker and Employee Trade Unions in Lebanon (FENASOL) planned another one for Tuesday, despite the blanket ban issued by Machnouk on Sunday.

In announcing the ban, Machnouk said that any requests to protest would be denied in order to preserve security and civil peace.

The veterans committee staged their protest in front of the Central Bank, closing the road and requesting an amendment to Article 79 of the National Defense Law, which governs their pensions, before the salary scale bill is approved.

The protesters said they would consider escalating their actions "if the demands are not met."

Meanwhile, FENASOL invited workers and employees to join them Tuesday to protest over the minimum wage, which they want raised to LL 1,200,000 ($800), and to decry the imposition of taxes on the poor and those who have limited income.

FENASOL’s protest, which will supposedly take place at 11 a.m. Tuesday in Beirut’s Riad al-Solh Square, is also intended to pressure politicians into agreeing on the salary scale.

When asked about the protests occurring Monday and Tuesday, the Interior Ministry’s press office declined to comment, saying only, “We will abide by what the minister said yesterday.”

“We know about the ban,” a FENASOL representative told The Daily Star. “We're going to go to protest, and we invited the media to cover it and the people to join.”

The National Committee of Veterans of the Armed Forces could not be reached for comment.

In recent days a Facebook page under the name Union of Syrian People in Lebanon called for a demonstration to be held in Downtown Beirut on July 18 at 7 p.m. to “defend the rights of Syrians in Lebanon,” prompting Machnouk to implement the ban.

The call for a demonstration came in the wake of a Lebanese Army raid in two Syrian refugee settlements near the northeastern border town of Arsal on June 30 in an effort to crackdown on militants entrenched in the area.

The operation saw 355 Syrian nationals detained after the Army was targeted by five suicide bombers, an explosive device and a grenade attack.

Four of the detainees died in Lebanese custody, prompting allegations of mistreatment.