The General Directorate of Internal Security Forces - Public Relations Division clarified that "at 17:00 on September 28, 2023, after approximately 1,500 individuals, including politicians and religious figures, gathered in front of the Azerbaijan Embassy to express their anger regarding the ongoing events in the Nagorno-Karabakh region, riots occurred in the form of throwing firecrackers, stones, sticks, and glass bottles containing colored materials at the elements of the Internal Security Forces." It pointed out that "after the escalation of the riots by the demonstrators, there was an interaction with the force responsible for protecting the embassy building, leading to a return to order after the use of tear gas by the forces. This same scenario repeated at 18:30 on the mentioned date."
The General Directorate disclosed that "the riots resulted in the injury of two officers and 23 personnel due to the throwing of firecrackers and stones." It stated: "The Internal Security Forces are keen to respect the freedom of expression, as long as it does not constitute an assault on the freedom of others or an encroachment on public or private property. Moreover, Article 1 of Law No. 17 - Organization of the Internal Security Forces assigns this institution the duty of protecting diplomatic missions in Lebanon, and it urges citizens to respect the law and act with a spirit of responsibility."
