Thousands took to the streets of Damascus on Sunday to protest a recent city-wide ban on the sale of alcoholic drinks in restaurants and bars. The governor’s directive, announced last week, gives affected establishments three months to comply. Officials said the move was made “at the request of the local community.”
An exception was carved out for shops in three mainly Christian neighborhoods, where alcohol may be sold only in sealed, take-away bottles. Those stores are barred from serving on-site and must be located at least 75 meters from mosques and schools and 20 meters from police stations and government offices.
Heavily armed security personnel ringed and observed the demonstration, which passed without violence. “This is not about whether we want to drink alcohol, this is about personal freedom,” sculptor Isa Qazah, 45, told the AP. Television writer Rami Koussa, 37, told AFP that “this type of decision will not stand.”
The protests tap into broader anxieties that conservative Islamist elements may press for tighter controls on personal behavior. Recent measures — including nationwide guidance on “modest” swimwear for public beaches and a ban on makeup for female public-sector workers in Latakia province — have heightened fears of further restrictions.
President Ahmed al-Sharaa, a former Islamist rebel who now heads the interim government, has not publicly weighed in on the alcohol controversy. His administration has so far been cautious about imposing social limits but is under growing pressure from hard-line factions to enforce more conservative Islamic values. Syria has also experienced episodes of deadly sectarian violence despite al-Sharaa’s stated commitments to national unity, pluralism and protecting minorities.
On Saturday night Damascus authorities issued a statement apologizing to the city’s Christian population “for any misunderstanding or misinterpretation of the decision,” and clarified that hotels will be exempt from the new restrictions. The statement insisted the measure “does not interfere with citizens’ personal freedoms,” adding that regulation of alcohol sales exists in many countries, though approaches to enforcement differ.
Edited by: Saim Dušan Inayatullah