Residents in the newly hip eastern Beirut district of Gemmayze have taken the law into their own hands.

A group of up to one hundred people blocked the street on Saturday in protest at the constant partying. The army was called into the area to disperse the crowd.



Many of the elderly residents are angry that their quiet residential area has become the hottest nightspot in town over the past couple of years.

I thought it was just a little kerfuffle over a broken window. Many of the people gathered in the street looked like nosey passers-by to me (yes, yes, I am included in that group!).

Mustapha reports that Lebanon's Tourism Minister Joe Sarkis wants to close down at least twenty pubs. But is it just an idle threat? Would a Lebanese Forces minister really dare to rile so many young people in the LF heartland? Or will he leave the situation alone, and anger many older LF supporters?