NB: Do not use road closures as an excuse to silence the uprising
The Lebanese National Bloc Party warned against the use of violence and repression by the government in order to derail the path of the peaceful and civilized revolutionary movement, using the road closings as an excuse for such actions.
The National Bloc said in a statement that road closures are not the only way to move forward with peaceful demonstrations and to increase pressure on the government, and asked the demonstrators to create other ways that can be as effective. Additionally, the Bloc asserted that backing out of certain tactics in order to avoid giving the government an excuse for violence does not constitute giving up on putting pressure on that government, but is an intelligent option to move the revolution to another place.
The Bloc also noted that the government’s rhetoric about sovereignty must not lead Lebanon into a cycle of violence, as that cycle will only open the doors to malicious foreign interventions. Cycles of violence in Lebanon have since its independence been gateways to foreign intervention and to threats to its sovereignty.
The Bloc concluded the statement by calling on the government to heed the demands of a people that is revolting for its dignity, its livelihood, and its sovereignty.