Hezbollah supporters on two wheels, flying the 'resistance' flag in one of Beirut's neighborhoods. Screenshot of a video taken from social networks
Beirut — Celebrating the return of southern Lebanon residents to their villages after more than 15 years of displacement, Hezbollah and Amal supporters staged a controversial parade through Beirut and its southern suburbs on Sunday evening.
They rode mopeds while displaying weapons, waving party flags and chanting provocative slogans. Videos shared on social media showed the processions passing through predominantly Christian neighborhoods, such as Furn al-Shubbak, Ain al-Rummaneh, Gemmayzeh and Hazmieh — areas typically opposed to Hezbollah's influence.
The demonstration sparked sharp criticism online. Lebanese Forces MP Ghassan Hasbani condemned the parade as a "provocation" that undermined efforts to facilitate the return of displaced residents to southern Lebanon.
On Monday, the Lebanese Army announced that it had deployed patrols to identify and arrest "several individuals involved" in the event.
The parade was reportedly organized after a call circulated late Sunday afternoon in Beirut’s southern suburbs. Southern Lebanon, meanwhile, was still mourning residents killed while attempting to return to villages under Israeli occupation. The cease-fire between Hezbollah and Israel, originally set for 60 days, had been extended by three weeks overnight from Sunday to Monday.
This initiative, which Hezbollah officials did not endorse, originally planned to launch a motorized convoy in Beirut's southern suburbs at 6 p.m. to celebrate the "victories forged by the blood of martyrs," notably that of the "supreme martyr Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah," former Hezbollah secretary-general assassinated by Israel in September.
Similar parades were reported elsewhere. In the Bekaa Valley, convoys adorned with Hezbollah, Amal and Lebanese flags expressed solidarity with the displaced residents of southern villages, according to our regional correspondent. Another procession passed through the southern city of Saida, though only the Beirut parade appeared to have heightened tensions.
Gunshots of joy
Shortly after the parade’s scheduled start time, reports began circulating in the press of heavy celebratory gunfire in Beirut’s southern suburbs. As the convoy passed through Christian neighborhoods, participants chanted "Shiaa, Shiaa" (Shiites, Shiites), sparking anger among residents and Christian officials.
Tensions escalated when Lebanese Forces supporters, staunch opponents of Hezbollah, confronted the bikers — particularly in Ain al-Rummaneh, where the Lebanese Army was swiftly deployed to contain the situation.
In Beirut’s southern suburbs, Hezbollah and Amal supporters also mobilized on mopeds, in cars and on foot, waving party flags, firing into the air, and setting off fireworks. A similar display was reported in Maghdoucheh, South Lebanon, a predominantly Christian village in southern Lebanon near Saida, according to social media users.
"Hezbollah terrorists roam Beirut to provoke discord," wrote internet user Tony Boulos, calling on the Lebanese Army to intervene. Journalist Maya Khadra added, "After sending its supporters into sensitive areas in southern Lebanon, Hezbollah sends its hooligans to parade armed in Christian residential neighborhoods."
Lebanese Forces MP Ghassan Hasbani, speaking to al-Jadeed television, condemned the demonstrations as "provocative political partisan demonstrations in certain Beirut neighborhoods, which undermine the spontaneity of the return to the South.” He also highlighted the tragedy of 22 Lebanese civilians killed by Israeli fire on Sunday while attempting to return to their villages. Hasbani criticized the motorized rallies and provocative slogans chanted in areas such as Gemmayzeh, Achrafieh and Furn al-Shubbak, describing them as "a violation of human rights." He also stressed that the cease-fire agreement includes mechanisms for Hezbollah’s disarmament, the dismantling of its military infrastructure and the extension of state authority across all Lebanese territories.
Political analyst Joseph Abou Fadel denounced the events as a "farce," saying, "We refuse these provocative demonstrations in Christian areas that welcomed displaced Shiites with open arms during the war." He also called for an increased deployment of the Lebanese Army.
Former Free Patriotic Movement MP Ziad Assouad criticized Hezbollah’s actions, stating that motorized parades in Gemmayzeh "make no sense and produce no victory."
