The calls for the "Correction of the Path” were not warmly welcomed across the political spectrum. The Muslim Brotherhood’s Justice and Construction Party, which holds the second-largest number of seats in the parliament, warned in an official statement against the danger of responding to these calls. The party affirmed that acts of violence and bloodshed might take place on the anniversary of the revolution — an assumption that enraged many activists who reiterated the peaceful nature of their movement.
Benghazi, where the American ambassador was assassinated in September 2012 and the Italian consul survived an assassination attempt in January 2013, suffers from a lack of diplomatic presence, which many believe undermines its political weight. Consequently, a large number of citizens have decided to express their objection to this reality, while others have hesitated to take to the streets, amid cautious anticipation of the intervention of other opportunistic sides aiming to stir chaos in the movement.
Ministry of Interior warns against strife
In an interview with Al-Hayat, Libyan Deputy Interior Minister Omar al-Khadrawi affirmed that the ministry is fully ready to deter any attempts to jeopardize the security of citizens and the higher interests of the country. He clarified that the calls for protests on Feb. 15 “are questionable and seek to spark strife in the country,” and he indicated that “Gadhafi’s men” are calling for participation in the protests.
Khadrawi pointed to the new laws that forbid protests, except with prior permission from the ministry, which still hasn’t received any requests to hold protests on Feb. 15. The Libyan official warned against “those with agendas seeking to disrupt the country’s stability and security.” He called on all parties to participate in the dialogue in order to resolve the crisis. Khadrawi emphasized the presence of “certain indications foreshadowing chaos and acts of violence,” and he asserted that the offices of Libyan Prime Minister Ali Zeidan and President of the National Assembly Mohammed el-Megarif “have not yet shut the doors of dialogue to reach a consensus that satisfies all parties and serves Libya’s interests.”
