A video circulating widely on social media in Libya has sparked heated debate after showing a traffic police officer allegedly assaulting a driver in the capital Tripoli.
The footage, which spread rapidly online over the past hours, appears to show a traffic officer affiliated with the Tripoli Security Directorate confronting a man inside his car on Omar Al-Mukhtar Street, one of the city’s main central roads.
In the video, the officer can reportedly be seen verbally insulting the driver while aggressively striking the vehicle during the confrontation. The incident triggered widespread reactions among Libyan social media users, with many expressing concern over the behaviour shown in the footage.
Public opinion appeared divided. Some citizens criticised the officer’s actions, describing them as an abuse of authority and an unjustified act of violence against a civilian. Others urged understanding for the pressures faced by traffic police officers who deal daily with traffic violations and confrontational situations in the streets.
Libyan activist Mohamed Atiya Abdelmalek wrote on social media that such behaviour resembled “militia-style conduct rather than the behaviour expected from an institution responsible for enforcing the law and protecting citizens.”
Many commentators argued that even if the driver had committed a traffic violation, the situation should have been handled through legal procedures rather than physical confrontation or public humiliation.
On the other hand, activist Imad Al-Din Al-Zabi called for a balanced perspective, noting that police officers working in the streets may sometimes face provocation from drivers and difficult working conditions.
The incident also drew condemnation from the National Institution for Human Rights in Libya (NIHRL), which described the officer’s behaviour as unacceptable and inconsistent with professional standards for law enforcement.
In a statement, the organisation said it had recently documented several cases involving mistreatment of drivers, including intimidation, verbal abuse and coercion by security personnel.
It urged authorities to investigate such incidents and emphasised the importance of respecting citizens’ dignity in all circumstances.
