Metropolitan of Beirut Elias Audi called for punitive measures against those engaging in celebratory gunfire, which often results in the tragic death of innocent civilians due to stray bullets. Naya Hanna, a 7-year-old girl, who was hit earlier in August by a stray bullet, passed away last Saturday.
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He mourned her and questioned whether such actions constituted an appropriate means of expressing joy, sadness or anger, and emphasized the immense suffering caused by such reckless behavior.
The Metropolitan unequivocally condemned the practice of discharging firearms at public events and called upon the authorities to implement necessary measures to prevent it and penalize those responsible.
During his Sunday sermon, he emphasized that Naya had become a victim of crime and irresponsibility and urged an immediate end to the use of firearms during public gatherings.
In addition, Metropolitan Audi expressed his deep concern regarding the comprehensive issue of indiscriminate gun use in Lebanon. He called for a more stringent control of weapons, enhanced security measures, robust judicial enforcement, and stressed on the need for political parties to tighten control on their partisans.
In his closing remarks, he implored the Lebanese people to forsake this destructive behavior, advocating for justice and the rule of law to prevail. In doing so, he underscored that it represents a “moral decay that disregards human life and leads to profound societal regression and violence.”
