The "beach war" in Said: Lebanese Muslims vs Bikini

A week ago, on May 14, clashes broke out on a city beach in Saida (Sidon), southwest Lebanon, between a group of Muslims and two tourist couples, who demanded that the women "dress modestly".

Lebanese media reported that the group was led by two sheikhs, who said that appearing on the beach in bikinis was disrespectful to local society and traditions. Islamists reportedly threw tennis balls and sand-filled plastic bottles at the women and chased them off the beach.

The incident sparked a wave of public protests that started on social media and then escalated into a mass action at Saida Beach the following Sunday, 21 May. The protest also found support in several other Lebanese coastal cities, including Beirut.

Demonstrators accuse Saida's Islamists of resembling Islamic State. Once again the slogan sounds that every woman has the right to decide what she wears in public - "bikini or burkini". The action on Said beach was short-lived, and the police forced the protesters to disperse.

Saida (Sidon) is considered a conservative city. About 80% of the population are Sunni Muslims, 10% Shia Muslims, Druze and Christians also live here. The proportion of the secular population is negligible. Signs posted at the entrance to Saida's public beach urge people to wear "appropriate attire". Local authorities prohibit bringing alcoholic beverages to the beach and bringing pets. And while there are generally no such restrictions in Lebanon, such requirements have become the norm in Saida. From the point of view of local authorities, trespassing is only allowed on private beaches which are closed to occasional visitors.

The municipality of Saida does not allow mass demonstrations on the beach, so yesterday's demonstration was deemed illegal.

It should be noted that Lebanon has been waging a “beach war” in recent decades amid the radicalization of local Muslims, both Sunni and Shia. Relative freedom remains in Beirut, but a similar incident is possible in the Lebanese capital.