Thread: Following 3 months of protests and in the middle of a socio-economic crisis, it is natural that security forces start feeling tired, stressed and commit major abuses. To be clear, I'm not finding any excuse for their behavior last night, they should be condemned. #Lebanon
2/ In developed countries, policemen are supported by systems, syndicates, and psychosocial support. Even if their mission is to protect citizens and uphold the law, they need protection themselves, which should be ensured by the state and their institution.
3/ International support from various embassies such as the US, the UK or France, should also focus on behavioral change and support systems instead of mainly focusing on weapon delivery and Counterterrorism programs.
4/ Sadly, in #Lebanon, policemen (or darak), are proud men, with big egos, and think they should be respected since they wear an urban camo uniform (the badle) and hold a gun. It is a shame for them to seek help or support. "What will my brothers in arms think of me?"
5/ These men in uniform are losing patience. They're tired, stressed out, and for some, probably depressed. The dire economic conditions with the lira losing its value are adding stress on them and their families. Most of them come from poor areas and chose this path for safety.
6/ Provoked by protesters, let's be real, some of them can be very violent (verbally and physically sometimes), following 3 hectic months of protests can lead to rage. Nervous breakdowns, abuse, and violent behaviors will happen. Again it's not an excuse, they're trained men.
7/ In all this uncertainty, what's certain at this stage is that, if you're a peaceful or violent protester, or if you're a member of the security forces, we're all paying the price of the economic crisis while politicians are still figuring out a way to make gains out of it.
