Make sure to read Habib Battah’s story on how he got physically assaulted yesterday for trying to take photos of the ruins at District S construction site in Beirut downtown.
My chest and wrists still hurt from the arms of the men who tackled me, twisted my hands behind my back, and tried to rip my phone out of my hands this afternoon.
They were enraged because I refused to delete a photo of ancient ruins I shot on their construction site.
“Lock the door,” one of the foreman said earlier today, and moments later the giant doors of the site were sealed. I was surrounded by 5 to 6 men looking at me menacingly–prepared it seemed–to do anything to shut me up.
Unfortunately he was told to just forget about it when he tried to report the incident to the police station, so I hope his post reaches some good people who can take action about it!
Nothing will stop progress, the progress of some peoples deep pockets is what i mean.. what a waste, sites are being wiped out without atleast giving the right people a chance to document, photograph and archive these ruins. no one is saying dont build, but also atleast give us a chance to preserve what we can.
The journalist was assulted because of fears of the project being delayed… but is this going to change anything, that is to be seen.
I hope the young lebanese take action against the greedy corrupt developers if the poilice and the government doesnt take action and sue the developers. no one controls them and knows what happens with the ruins although we know that almost every site opened specially in DT ruins are found.