- 27
- Jan.
- 2025
The sunlit skies of Monday morning failed to awaken the usual hustle and bustle in Gemmayze. The vibrant café terraces, normally alive, were eerily quiet, and the familiar honking of cars was absent.
“Breakfast hours are typically our busiest time,” shared the manager of a trendy café-restaurant with This is Beirut. But the mood had shifted since the previous evening when Samer, a staff member, witnessed a group of Hezbollah bikers making a provocative parade down the street and its neighboring Pasteur Street.
"It was 9:45 p.m. when a group of Hezbollah bikers came through, waving Hezbollah flags and chanting 'Shiite, Shiite,'" Samer recounted, describing the scene as a "blatant provocation." He was nevertheless relieved when a police checkpoint was swiftly set up after the incident.
The sense of reassurance brought by the authorities was echoed by other business owners, restaurateurs, and residents in the area. Many had been caught off guard on what they had expected to be a peaceful and enjoyable evening.
A Hundred Bikers, Aged 12 to 20
Elie, the manager of the restaurant at Lost Hotel, recalled witnessing nearly 100 bikers, aged 12 to 20, swarming the area.
"Not only were they chanting provocative sectarian slogans and waving flags featuring Hassan Nasrallah, Hezbollah, and Hussein, but they also flashed the victory sign and verbally harassed two women dining peacefully on the terrace, calling out 'yo’borné' (my darling) and 'ya helwé' (beautiful)," he added. "They even tore off the side mirror of a car parked in front of the restaurant."
For Elie, who hails from the southern Lebanese village of Maghdouché, such behavior is unacceptable in neighborhoods like Gemmayze and Mar Mikhael. “If they want to parade, they should do it in South Lebanon—there are no occupiers here,” he remarked.
Elie also expressed regret over the actions of these bikers, suggesting that they are "spitting in the plate that fed them and welcomed them during the war," both in his hometown and other parts of Lebanon.
Several other witnesses reported hearing "gunfire into the air" later at night, when a second convoy of bikers passed through around midnight.
Oblivious to the Incident
Not everyone noticed the disturbance. Carla, an employee in the area admitted she had no idea what had happened until her colleagues filled her in. “I don’t follow the news anymore,” she said.
Economic Factors
Some business owners, however, attributed the quiet streets more to economic woes than Sunday night’s events. Karim, a restaurateur, remarked, “It’s the end of the month, and budgets are tight. Mondays in January are always slow.”
"If These Provocations Continue, It Will Impact Business"
But not everyone was so dismissive. Hilda, a clothing store manager, noted the stark drop in customers. “It’s already 1 p.m., and I haven’t had a single sale. Normally, by now, the streets are alive with activity,” she lamented.
Parking attendants shared similar concerns. “If these provocations continue, people will stay away. It will severely impact businesses and the economy of the entire neighborhood,” one attendant warned.
While police patrols provided temporary relief, locals urged the authorities to take decisive action to prevent further incidents. “The situation needs a firm response,” many agreed.
Let’s cross fingers.
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