Syria: Streets of Damascus witness protests

DAMASCUS, Aug. 03 (YPA) – The Syrian capital, Damascus, witnessed two simultaneous protests on Sunday, in Umayyad Square and in front of the governorate building.

Protesters denounced the local authorities’ decision to impound motorcycles, which they considered a direct blow to their sole source of livelihood amid a stifling economic crisis and a near-total lack of alternatives.

Under the slogan “If you want us to respect the law, start with justice,” protesters raised their voices, demanding fairness before enforcement. They considered the decision to be insensitive to the deteriorating living conditions and to constitute collective punishment targeting the poor.

Participants held up banners reading “Motorcycles are a means of transportation, not a crime,” “Cutting throats, not cutting off livelihoods,” “We want to eat… We want to live,” and “No to injustice… You’ve cut off our only source of livelihood,” expressing widespread popular discontent with what have been described as policies of oppression and starvation.

These actions come at a time when the country is experiencing a rapid deterioration in living standards, with rising fuel prices, scarcity of public transportation, and a large segment of citizens relying on motorcycles as their primary means of work and transportation.

YPA