The Syrian actor Ayman Rida shared a video on his Facebook page clarifying his recent controversial statements about Lebanese people that stirred discussions on social media.
Rida explained that his comments about Lebanese individuals were made from a humanitarian perspective, reflecting the struggles faced by Syrians in camps and how they have been treated at the Lebanese borders. He recounted a personal experience where he was treated poorly by security at a checkpoint while traveling to Lebanon with his family, where he was told, "What are you coming to do here? You’ve exhausted us." He mentioned this incident had a significant impact on him, prompting him to speak out during his interview.
Ayman Rida apologized to the Lebanese people, clarifying that he did not intend to generalize but was referring to only a few individuals, adding, "I speak about some Lebanese individuals; it would be foolish to generalize." He expressed regret if his statements were misunderstood.
Regarding his comments about Lebanese artists, he stated he spoke about the issue genuinely and realistically, noting that Syrians participate in Lebanese productions, and Lebanese artists participate in Syrian projects, emphasizing the benefit of learning from each other's expertise. Some followers criticized him for being inconsistent in his statements, while others suggested he might have faced pressure to retract his comments. One follower wrote, "We were proud of you; now you've apologized and ruined everything," to which Ayman Rida replied, "Everyone has their own views."
Previously, Ayman Rida stated in an interview that Lebanese people exploit Syrian talent, saying, "In Lebanon, they are exploiting us and treating us poorly, even regarding wages. They look at Syrians with a sense of superiority, despite all their money in banks comes from Syria." He added that Lebanese people treat the Syrian people disrespectfully, despite Syria having opened its doors to everyone, asserting that the movement of Syrian actors to Lebanon has significantly contributed to the fame of Lebanese artists, who had worked for decades without recognition.
