MP Nadim Gemayel on Saturday denounced recent armed displays in Beirut, calling them not only a challenge to the Lebanese state, the international community, and Israel, but also “a clear insult and act of aggression against all Lebanese, the new presidential term, and the authority of the state.”

The scenes, which circulated widely on social media, showed armed individuals parading in the streets during a religious procession in the Zqaq al-Blat neighborhood, sparking public outrage and renewed fears over national stability.

In a post on the social media platform X, Gemayel sharply criticized state institutions for their silence in the face of what he described as dangerous and provocative behavior.

“Where is the Lebanese Army? Where is the government? And where is the presidential oath in the face of this intimidation and terror that threatens stability and signals the collapse of what remains of state institutions?” he wrote. “Do these actions also require dialogue?”