Conflict Incident Report

Twelve activists from the You Stink campaign were beaten up and dragged out of Nejmeh Square in Downtown Beirut Thursday during a mock celebration to mark the anniversary of Parliament's vote to extend its term, with one man requiring hospitalization.
Parliament, located in the square, extended its own mandate for a second time on Nov. 5, 2014 for two years and seven months, angering civil society activists who say the move violates the Constitution and etches away at some of the country's perceived democratic principles.
Tarek Mallah, an activist in the campaign, told The Daily Star that a group of 12 young men and women had reserved a table at Al Balad Restaurant in Nejmeh Square for dinner, where they also took a cake as part of their mock celebration.
He said that as the activists got up and walked toward the square's clock tower after finishing their dinner, dozens of security forces approached them and started beating them up, even dragging some to the floor.
“They swore at us and started slapping and punching us, even after dragging us outside of the square onto Amir Bashir Street,” Mallah said.
Activist and filmmaker Lucien Bou Rjeily was transported to hospital by medics after being severely beaten, Mallah and other witnesses said

http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Lebanon-News/2015/Nov-05/321805-police-...