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Tripoli protests target UNHCR
Hundreds of Libyan demonstrators gathered outside the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) office in Tripoli on June 4, demanding an end to what they alleged were migrant assistance and calling for the closure of the UNHCR office.
“Hundreds of Libyan demonstrators blocked the office of the U.N. refugee agency in Tripoli”
Protesters blocked the UNHCR office in Tripoli’s Sarraj neighbourhood, chanting “No, No to settlement, Libya only for Libyans” and “Get out of Libya, take them all out of Libya,” while erecting tents and closing the main gate with a barrier.
The protests were framed by demonstrators as opposition to migrants who had travelled to Libya in search of work or passage to Europe, with the rally described as the largest of several recent demonstrations against migrants.
Libya’s oil-dependent economy and its role as a North African transit route were cited in the coverage as factors drawing migrants, including people often attempting dangerous journeys across the desert or the Mediterranean.
The UN mission in Libya said it affirmed Libyans’ right to peaceful expression based on accurate information and condemned incitement to violence against U.N. staff or premises, while stating there is no U.N. resettlement programme in Libya.
UN denies resettlement claims
In response to the demonstrations, the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) acknowledged the right of Libyans to express their views but cautioned against misinformation and hate speech that could heighten tensions and incite hostility against UN officials operating in Libya.
The UNSMIL statement said, “UN agencies are not implementing any programmes to resettle migrants in Libya, and all claims regarding this are completely unfounded,” and it added that UN High Commission for Refugees efforts focus on finding solutions outside Libya for people fleeing conflict.
The acting foreign minister in the internationally recognized Libyan government, Taher al-Baour, told a television channel that there is no plan to settle migrants in Libya and said Libya cannot absorb these numbers.
Ahram Online reported demonstrators chanted “Libya belongs to Libyans” and called for the closure of the UNHCR headquarters in the capital, while accusing the UN agency of seeking to settle irregular migrants in the North African country.
The Straits Times said the UN mission warned against spreading misinformation targeting groups, and it reported that the protest was linked to demands for migrants’ departure and closure of UNHCR.
Libya’s migration politics at stake
Coverage of the protests tied the anti-migrant sentiment to Libya’s broader social and economic pressures during years of conflict since the NATO-backed uprising in 2011, with demonstrators blaming migrants for problems that had become more visible during 15 years of political division.
“Statement no. 2/2026 of 1 June 2026”
The CSR Journal said the International Organization for Migration estimates Libya hosts approximately 900,000 migrants within its borders, and it described many as Sudanese refugees seeking asylum and stability far from their war-torn homeland.
The Libya Observer reported that the House of Representatives (HoR) issued Statement no. 2/2026 of 1 June 2026 rejecting the settlement and resettlement of irregular migrants and affirming that Libya’s sovereignty and identity are red lines.
In Tripoli, the Libya Observer also described local measures and calls, including a Zuwara Municipality curfew on foreigners residing within the municipality from 11:00 pm to 5:00 am daily, and it said the Social Council of Tripoli called for the expulsion of the UNHCR from Libya.
UNHCR’s role was repeatedly contested in the reporting, while the UN mission in Libya insisted it works in coordination with Libyan authorities to find solutions outside Libya, including evacuation to third countries and voluntary return when conditions allow.
