Motorcycle riders queue at a gas station in Beirut, June 2023. (Credit: João Sousa/OLJ)
Starting Monday evening, the Internal Security Forces (ISF) will launch a ‘night campaign’ targeting motorcycle riders whose vehicles are unregistered or lack valid licenses, aiming to "combat crime, particularly in Beirut and Mount Lebanon," two areas that have recently seen rising crime rates, according to an ISF spokesperson in an interview with L'Orient-Le Jour.
The plan involves setting up checkpoints every evening from 6 p.m. in Beirut and Mount Lebanon to limit motorcycle circulation and apprehend those with improper documentation.
"As part of the ISF's ongoing efforts to protect citizens, and with the recent increase in problems and crimes, particularly those committed using motorcycles, the ISF will launch a security campaign in Beirut and Mount Lebanon starting Monday, Nov. 11, to control offending motorcycles," read a statement published on Nov. 8.
Daytime-only circulation for motorcycles
The ISF also defended its actions, stating that the campaign is not intended to harm internally displaced people who fled the war between Israel and Hezbollah, many of whom rely on motorcycles for transportation. "Motorcycles can circulate during the day for people to go to work or drop their children off at school, but there needs to be a minimum level of security in the evening," the source explained.
These clarifications come after criticisms published in the pro-Hezbollah newspaper al-Akhbar, which claimed that the measures were ill-timed and that priority should be given to the safety of the displaced rather than issuing fines.
Addressing issues related to traffic and the increasing number of motorcycles in the host areas, outgoing Interior Minister Bassam Maoulaoui announced on Saturday that a plan would be implemented starting Monday morning to tackle the problem of motorcycles that are in violation of traffic laws or regulations. He also promised to end double parking, which "is unacceptable in the streets and neighborhoods, causing serious traffic jams," and emphasized that "normal traffic conditions will gradually return to normal starting Monday."
With the massive influx of displaced people into the capital and several other regions, many cars are now parked double-file or on sidewalks. The number of motorcycles circulating in Beirut has also increased.
A security plan specifically targeting motorcycles was implemented for several weeks during the summer. Thousands of vehicles that were unregistered or not in compliance were seized by the police. This plan sparked controversy as it was carried out when vehicle registration centers were either closed or operating sporadically.
