Hundreds protest in Damascus against new alcohol restrictions

17:00

Hundreds of Syrians gathered in Damascus on Sunday to protest new restrictions on alcohol sales imposed by the country’s Islamist authorities. The rules would ban alcohol in bars and restaurants and limit its sale to three Christian-majority districts in the capital, including Bab Touma.

The silent demonstration, organized by civil society activists, local Christians, and affected business owners, drew a heavy police presence. Protesters held banners declaring, “Individual freedoms are a red line,” expressing their opposition to what they view as undue government interference and sectarian divisions.

The Damascus governorate had announced on March 17 that alcohol sales would be confined to three Christian neighborhoods and prohibited in bars, restaurants, and nightclubs, giving businesses three months to comply. “Such measures will not pass,” said Rami Koussa, a 37-year-old television writer attending the protest. Hanan Assi, a 60-year-old teacher, added, “Syrians face thousands of problems, from poverty to displaced persons, and yet these decisions ignore them.”

Since the fall of Bashar al-Assad in December 2024, the new Islamist authorities had not previously enforced public behavior restrictions. However, some measures, including mandatory full-coverage swimwear on public beaches and a ban on makeup for female civil servants in Latakia, have raised concerns about growing conservatism. While the new government has pledged to protect minorities such as Christians, the country has experienced waves of community violence.