The Public Relations Department of the Beirut Municipality issued a statement saying: “To clarify what is being circulated regarding the incident that occurred in the Unesco area, which resulted in a fatality and an injury yesterday, we would like to inform you that no statement has been issued by the Beirut City Guard Regiment.” The municipality added that “any statement attributed to the Beirut Guard Regiment is incorrect and has no connection to reality.”
It is noted that the Beirut Guard Regiment had previously stated in a response to the Unesco incident: “All security agencies in advanced countries, including the United States, regularly establish movable checkpoints and deploy their patrol vehicles, including motorcycles, at intersections to monitor roads and ensure compliance with the law. These agencies pursue offenders and criminals in the event of their escape through chases in public streets and narrow alleys until they are apprehended, even if this leads to injuries or fatalities on either side. The police do not stop chasing offenders until they are arrested and placed in jail or the morgue, which is standard practice in advanced countries.”
In contrast, in Lebanon, after investigation and analysis of the tragic incident that occurred yesterday morning in front of the Ministry of Education, resulting in a fatality and an injury due to the escape of two unknown individuals from a sudden checkpoint set up by the Beirut City Guard Regiment, it was revealed based on the attached videos that:
1. Due to the increase in crimes within the Beirut Municipality, including thefts and shootings executed by youths on motorcycles, the decision was made for strict law enforcement in the administrative area of Beirut following the last incident involving the martyr Hassan Al-Asimi from the Beirut Guard Regiment, who was shot at by an armed individual on a motorcycle while attempting to escape from a sudden checkpoint in Mar Mikhaïl, Beirut.
2. During the establishment of a checkpoint near the Ministry of Education yesterday morning, checkpoint personnel observed two unknown individuals on a motorcycle who did not comply with the checkpoint and altered their direction attempting to flee, raising suspicion among checkpoint personnel that they might be wanted. They drove against the flow of traffic on a busy street, which led to a collision with another motorcycle, resulting in the death of one and serious injury to the other.
3. A video recorded from in front of a commercial establishment clarified that one of the checkpoint personnel was lying in wait for motorcycles violating the rule to stop them in case they fled from the checkpoint, but when he approached, an actual collision occurred with the other motorcycle. The guard did not kick the motorcycle as reported on social media and is not responsible for the incident, which is the fault of those who fled “for unknown reasons,” driving against traffic and colliding with another motorcycle, leading to this tragic outcome.
The statement concluded: “We commend the work of the Beirut Guard Regiment and urge security authorities to intensify efforts in combating theft and robbery operations, which are mostly committed by individuals on motorcycles.”