The leader of the Lebanese Free Patriotic Movement (FPM), Gebran Bassil, commented on the recent events in Tayouneh, Beirut, saying that "A potent [faction] is not one who snipes people from rooftops, but rather the one who avoids strife."

In a speech commemorating the events of October 13, 1990, Bassil spoke of "someone who, whenever he attempts to clean up his act, fails by shedding blood given that it is in his nature," stressing that "the crime of Tayouneh is the biggest proof," in reference to the head of the Lebanese Forces (LF), Samir Geagea.

Bassil continued by stating that "he who has a bloody history cannot pretend to side with justice while killing protesters, in an attempt to cause strife."

"Even if they were provocative, no one has the right to treacherously snipe at the demonstrators, making us relive the massacre we witnessed on October 1990, at the hands of the same armed groups," Bassil stated. He stressed that expressing an opinion, whatever it may be, does not justify a violent and murderous response.

Bassil: We made an understanding with those who protected Lebanon

The FPM leader stressed that his party "reached an understanding with those who protected Lebanon" from the Israelis, whom the LF collaborated with, as well as expelled ISIS.

Bassil added that the Mar Mikhail accord was made so that former demarcation lines would become lines of contact. 

نحنا عملنا تفاهم مع يلّي طردوا داعش من ارضنا من بعد ما هو قال: فليحكم الاخوان. نحنا عملنا تفاهم مع يلّي حموا لبنان من العدو يلّي هو تعامل معه

— Gebran Bassil (@Gebran_Bassil) October 16, 2021

On the politicization of the Beirut Port investigation

Bassil noted that his party opposes any politicization of the Beirut Port explosion investigation, noting that until now "it remains unclear whether the investigation is being politicized by the judicial investigator, judge Tariq Bitar."

"The Free Patriotic Movement will confront those who try to obstruct the investigation into the Beirut Port explosion," Bassil said, before addressing the judicial investigator by saying: "You either summon everyone, or release the imprisoned innocents."

On the October 17 demonstrations

The FPM leader addressed the demonstrations of October 17, 2019. He considered that "Unfortunately, the 'clean' revolution has withered while the colored revolution persisted, that of [foreign] embassies, NGOs and foreign funding."

استعملوا الثورة، وللأسف خرجت الثورة النظيفة وبقيت الثورة العميلة، ثورة السفارات والـ Ngo’s والتمويل الخارجي؛ ومن بعد ما سرّعت الانهيار بالاقتصاد وبسعر الصرف، صار بدّها تطيّر هي وحلفاءها من الأحزاب اهم انجازات اصلاحية انعملت بالقانون الانتخابي، كرمال حساباتها الانتخابية

— Gebran Bassil (@Gebran_Bassil) October 16, 2021

"They attempted to besiege us internationally, to impose sanctions on us due to our stances towards on the Resistance, the [permenant] settlement [of refugees], the displacement [of Syrian refugees] and Syria,"  Bassil declared by the end of his speech, concluding that the enemies thought "that this would isolate us from our society, as they could not comprehend the vastness of our options and openness."

Al-Tayouneh ambush

The words of the head of the Free Patriotic Movement came following the Lebanese mourning of the seven civilians killed in an ambush last Thursday. Snipers fired from building rooftops at unarmed peaceful protesters in Tayouneh, Beirut.