A clash occurred between the families of Beirut Firefighters' martyrs and several members at the brigade's headquarters in Karantina, stemming from a tribute to Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri yesterday. The families of the Beirut Firefighters who died in the Beirut port explosion issued a statement, which stated: "Following the visit of the brigade's commander, officers, and firefighters to Speaker Nabih Berri, presenting him with a 'appreciation shield' on behalf of the Beirut Fire Brigade, we, the families of the firefighters killed in the port explosion, condemn the actions of those wearing the same fire brigade uniform that bore the blood of our sons and brothers. We demand an apology from Fire Brigade Commander Maher Al-Ajuz for the sycophancy he exercises in the name of the fire brigade for the following reasons: First, President Nabih Berri heads a parliamentary bloc that includes fugitives from justice related to the August 4 investigation, namely Ghazi Zeaiter and Ali Hassan Khalil. Second, Berri is the one who orchestrates the obstruction of the investigation through his tactful handling of requests for recusal and disputation. Third, apart from obstructing the investigation, the direct repression of the families and subjecting them to beatings, humiliation, and degradation in front of Berri's home and the Parliament on several occasions by his guards, despite the families demanding truth and justice peacefully, is unacceptable." The families concluded their statement by saying: "Tributes to those who distort justice and modern-day criminals are prohibited while truth and justice remain obscured; the only tribute is for those who sacrificed for Beirut with their blood, and the only shield in our fight is the service and sacrifice of our heroic martyrs."
The Head of the Public Relations Division in the Beirut Fire Brigade stated: "There is no truth to the reports of physical altercations between the families and members of the brigade's leadership." For his part, William Noun confirmed the report, stating, "The story began when the brigade commander and five officers visited President Nabih Berri yesterday with a commemorative shield representing the entire fire brigade." He added, "The families of the victims do not accept such a shield bearing the name of the entire brigade, and what is the need to present a shield to President Berri at all?" He continued, "Today, the families visited the brigade commander and the officers who visited Berri yesterday, and a disagreement occurred in the commander's office. Consequently, during a call with the Governor of Beirut, the families demanded the removal of the commander."
