The newspaper "Al-Akhbar" reported that the movements in recent days, particularly last night, clearly indicate a systematic organized operation by several political parties managing groups of protesters and directing crowds. They have resorted to security assaults using offensive bombs against security personnel, prompting many grassroots movements in the city to withdraw from these activities, feeling that there is a clear political exploitation of the protests.
According to various sources cited by "Al-Akhbar," most participants come from the neighborhoods of Beddawi, Al-Mankoubin, Wadi Al-Nahla, and other inner areas, including Bab Al-Tabbaneh, Al-Zahra, and Al-Qubbah, along with individuals brought in from Beirut by the Seven Party. A considerable number of the participating protesters represent a wide array of political forces settling political and financial scores and internal factional conflicts. Groups backed by Bahaa Hariri and former minister Ashraf Rifi focused on attempts to breach the Tripoli Saray. Several attempts to enter the Saray were made from early evening hours, initially succeeding in reaching the guard room and inspection room at its main entrance. After several failed attempts, the protesters tried to access the Court of Justice in Tripoli, located directly behind the Saray, which led security forces to intervene, using tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse them as the number of protesters increased with supporters arriving from other areas.
On another front, the Future Movement was not absent from mobilizing its groups, as reported by "Al-Akhbar," which took to the streets upon instructions from the Secretary-General of the Future Movement, Ahmad Hariri, after realizing that they might lose the streets of Tripoli to their adversaries. This was particularly concerning as groups from the other side were daily hurling insults and counter-slogans against the Hariri family and their representatives in Tripoli, Mohammed Kabbara and Samir Al-Jisr. The Future Movement responded by organizing marches in the city, chanting against President Michel Aoun, Speaker of the House Nabih Berri, Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah, and the head of the Free Patriotic Movement, MP Gebran Bassil. It is noteworthy that President Saad Hariri stated in a statement yesterday that "the movements in Tripoli might be backed by a political entity."
While sources within the Future Movement denied any connection of the movement to "the sabotage actions perpetrated by infiltrators and troublemakers," they clarified that "the Tripoli forums that Bahaa Hariri was managing were neutralized and distanced from him during the recent visit of President Saad Hariri to Turkey, given that the Turkish government has influence over it."
