The following statement was issued by the Maronite League, headed by engineer Maroun Helou:
"In light of the insults we are witnessing against religious positions and symbols on social media, and given the indecency and incitement this vulgarity represents, as well as the lack of manners and respect toward what the Maronite Patriarchate represents and what Patriarch Mar Bechara Boutros al-Rahi represents on both the personal and national levels, we are referring these violations to the competent judiciary, considering this statement as a formal notification calling for swift action, the necessary measures, and the arrest and accountability of those responsible.
The Maronite Patriarchate, the compass of Lebanon's sovereignty and pluralism, and the advocate of the values of partnership based on mutual respect, remains above any harm and continues to be the strongest expression of Lebanon as an entity embracing all its people.
But any offense against it is unacceptable and must not pass, in the interest of civil peace, the preservation of coexistence, and preventing public discourse from sliding into sedition and encroachment on sacred values. Accordingly, the Maronite League calls on all concerned parties, especially the judicial and security authorities, to strictly enforce the applicable laws against anyone proven to be involved in these acts, and not to show leniency toward any violation that affects dignity and religious symbols."
The League concluded by stressing that "protecting religious symbols is an integral part of protecting Lebanon's message, and that any infringement upon them is an infringement upon the national fabric, which requires a united stand to deter such phenomena and preserve Lebanon's civilized image."
