DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) — Crowds of Syrians rallied Sunday to protest authorities’ efforts to limit the sale and consumption of alcohol in Damascus, reflecting rising anxiety in the cosmopolitan capital that Syria’s new Islamist government may threaten long-held secular freedoms.

Hundreds of residents from a range of religious sects poured into a grassy square in Bab Touma, a Christian neighborhood in Damascus, chanting “Syrians are united!” and brandishing signs that urged the government to safeguard personal liberties and religious minorities.

“This is not about whether we want to drink alcohol; this is about personal freedom,” said Isa Qazah, a 45-year-old sculptor from the area who joined the protest along the medieval stone lanes near Damascus’ Old City. “We have come here to defend an idea.”

Heavily armed security forces surrounded the protesters. The demonstration passed without incident.

The controversy erupted last week, when the governor of Damascus issued a decree banning “the provision of alcoholic beverages of all kinds in restaurants and nightclubs” across the capital. Within three months, it says, restaurants must have tossed out their wine lists and bar and club owners must have traded their licenses for cafe permits.

The decision, which authorities said was made “at the request of the local community,” came as the interim government of former Islamist rebel and now President Ahmed al-Sharaa faces growing pressure from hard-liners to impose more conservative religious values. Sharaa has not publicly weighed in on the alcohol debate.

More than a year after his movement ousted former president Bashar al-Assad, Syria is still reeling from 14 years of civil war and five decades of dictatorship as it struggles to define its future.

A member of the Alawite religious minority, Assad espoused a secular ideology to retain the support of fellow minorities in the Sunni-majority nation. Under his family dynasty, Syrians had little in the way of civic or political freedoms. But they could drink alcohol, party at nightclubs, and dress how they pleased.

After being named the interim president, Sharaa vowed to unite the country and respect pluralism. He has so far tread lightly when it comes to imposing social restrictions. Yet Syria’s many religious and ethnic groups remain on edge.

Sectarian attacks by pro-government Sunni fighters have killed hundreds of Alawites and Druze over the past year.

Concerns over fresh violence

Protesters on Sunday said they feared the latest alcohol restrictions could further fuel those tensions, as the decree allows alcohol to be sold in three predominantly Christian neighborhoods.

Still, establishments in Bab Touma, al-Qassaa, and Bab Sharqi cannot serve booze on site, and shops in those three areas can sell alcohol only in sealed take-away bottles. Vendors also must keep at least 75 meters (246 feet) away from mosques and schools, and 20 meters (65 feet) away from police stations and government offices.

Some said that in singling out Christians, authorities are framing them as responsible for what the decree describes as “violations of public morals.” Although Islamic law prohibits the consumption of alcohol, Damascus is full of secular Muslims.

“How [are our] neighborhoods violating public etiquette? The division this creates is unfair and irresponsible,” said Fawaz Bahauddin Khawja, a Christian lawyer at the rally. “This is the real face of Damascus. The only flag we raise is the Syrian flag.”

As criticism flared ahead of the protest, Damascus authorities issued a statement late Saturday apologizing to the city’s Christian population “for any misunderstanding or misinterpretation of the decision.” It also clarified that hotels will be spared the booze restrictions.

“This decision does not interfere with citizens’ personal freedoms,” the statement read. “The regulation of alcohol sales exists in all countries, with differences in how it’s applied and enforced.”

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