Two arrested in Lebanon after 'child abuse in nursery' video

Lebanon's Internal Security Forces (ISF) have arrested two people after a shocking video emerged this week allegedly showing a nursery worker hitting children at a play centre near Beirut.

Lebanese have strongly reacted to the video, which has circulated widely on social media, reportedly showing one of the nursery workers force feeding and hitting children. 

In the background, the cries of other children can be heard and laughter from adults. The New Arab has been unable to independently verify the videos.

The ISF in a tweet announced that it arrested two suspects on Monday evening in connection with the video identified only as 44-year-old D.H. and 38-year-old T.M.

بمنطقة المتن الشمالي، تم التواصل مع قائمقام المتن مارلين حداد لإجراء المقتضى القانوني حيث تم إقفال الحضانة بالشمع الاحمر".
وفي تصريح له دعا الأبيض القضاء إلى انزال أقصى الإجراءات العقابية بحق المرتكبين ،مؤكدا أن الأقفال لا يكفي ويجب أن يكون العقاب عبرة لمن اعتبر". pic.twitter.com/VcMb6orklM

— Ministry of Public Health - Lebanon (@mophleb) July 11, 2023

Lebanon's health ministry said in a statement that it had closed a daycare centre on Monday, which it identified as Garderêve nursery in the Maten region, east of Beirut, adding that it was investigating "child abuse".

"Let's hope this sanction serves as a lesson to all," the ministry added on Twitter.

It is not clear if the nursery is connected to the one in the video.

An ISF source did deny reports that parents of the children had attacked nursery staff but a door sign outside the centre was destroyed, according to the French language daily L'Orient-Le Jour.

The New Arab was unable to obtain comments from Garderêve's management due to their offices being closed and limitations on their social media accounts.