24 October Movement

The 24 October Movement ("Harakat 24 Techrin") ("Arabic":حركة 24 تشرين) is a leftist progressist party known as the 24 October socialist progressist movement in Lebanon, founded in the year of 1969 by Farouk El Moukaddem.

The party main goals was to represent the oppressed citizens that were constantly sinking into poverty, unable to face the continuous grow of inflation.

On the 19th of December 1973, during a wide protest organized by the movement, gun clashes erupted between pro-governmental armed men and the student branch of the party know as “Al itihad el sawri” ("Arabic":الاتحاد الثوري), where multiple injuries occurred. This incident prompted a major military retaliation led by Farouk el Moukaddem against all armed men responsible for the attack which forced the army to intervene and conduct a raid on the party headquarters located at Farouk Moukaddem street near Al tall street and arrest the prominent young leader with 18 of his companions.

The response was a full scale closure of the Northern city of Tripoli in protest for the arrest which rapidly extended to become a major demonstration in the capital city of Lebanon, Beirut, to reach out the Southern city of Saida and Bekaa demanding the immediate release of Farouk el Moukaddem.

It had wide military activity in Tripoli, North Lebanon during the Lebanese Civil War, most notably during the 2 year war (1975-1977) when it opposed the Christian Marada Brigade and the town of Zgharta.

Despite the sectarian conflict that reigned over the country, Farouk el Moukaddem succeeded in preserving the respect of political, economic and social institutions in Tripoli.