by middleeastmonitor.com — A demonstration in support of the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement was cancelled in Lebanon yesterday because of sectarian clashes that took place in the country. A demonstration of Lebanese youth organizations that was scheduled in front of the American embassy in Awkar was cancelled due to sectarian clashes that took place yesterday, while the Speaker of Parliament considered that “any call promoting sedition has a Hebrew voice.” The youth demonstration that was scheduled at 11am in front of the US embassy to support US protests following George Floyd’s murder and condemn US interference in Lebanon’s internal affairs, was cancelled due to the tense security conditions. No new date was set for the protests. African-American Floyd died in Minneapolis on 25 May after a white police officer knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes suffocating him.

Beirut witnessed sectarian clashes on Saturday night in a situation not witnessed since the civil war in 1991. The Speaker of the Parliament Nabih Berri warned that “sedition once again aims to assassinate the country and its national unity and target its civil peace.” “Sedition is more severe than murder. Cursed be he who initiated it. Beware of falling into it, because it will wipe out everyone, even those who planned and sponsored it.” “Every act from any side that targets the unity, security, stability of the Lebanese people is an Israeli act, and any voice that promotes sedition between the people is a Hebrew voice, even if it speaks in Arabic,” he warned.