Groups from the protest movement joined in solidarity with the families of the martyrs of the port explosion, who are still blocking the road in front of the Palace of Justice in Beirut in both directions.
The National News Agency mentioned that Ibrahim Hattit delivered a statement on behalf of the martyr families in which he demanded the appointment of a new judge who possesses courage and integrity, conditionally requesting that a trustworthy assistant be appointed. He stated, "We were previously very disciplined. However, today you will be working under the pressure of the street, and you must bear the consequences of our reactions if we perceive any manipulation, delay, or dilution in the investigations or refusal to appear before the investigating judge, as we will take steps you never anticipated." Hattit called on all sympathizers with this humanitarian cause to declare their solidarity in all regions by ringing church bells, raising the call to prayer next Sunday at sunset, and lighting candles on the balconies of their homes.
The families of the victims of the Beirut port explosion staged a sit-in in front of the Palace of Justice at 3 PM today, holding pictures of their martyr children and banners condemning the political authority, as part of a series of actions they pledged to implement in rejection of the decision to transfer the investigation from Judge Fadi Sawwan to another judge, and in protest against the procrastination and dilution in the investigation file. The road was blocked with barriers in front of the Palace of Justice. Speeches were delivered by activists and family members, asserting that "this ambiguous decision of the Court of Cassation is a prelude to obscuring the evidence of the port explosion crime and diluting it to the point of completely concealing it."
The speeches called for the formation of pressure tools that would lead to changing the current equation and initiate a transformational path to save Lebanon and continue the sit-ins until the truth is revealed. They demanded the necessity of conducting an international investigation into the port explosion and providing international protection that guarantees the exposure and punishment of the perpetrators of this enormous disaster. The speeches condemned the decision of the Court of Cassation to dismiss judge Fadi Sawwan, as part of the directives of the authority which has become untrustworthy in uncovering any truths and punishing the criminal perpetrators, rejecting all attempts to return to square one regarding the investigations, asserting that political interference played a significant role in what occurred.
The speeches called for "intensifying escalatory movements until this recklessness ceases and the investigation can proceed and the truth can be revealed."
