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Sidon Municipal Council Holds an Extraordinary Meeting Chaired by Engineer Mustafa Hijazi to Discuss the Assault on the Mayor and Municipal Police, and Issues an Official Statement

Sidon Municipality – Media Office

Statement Issued by the Sidon Municipal Council

The Municipal Council of the City of Sidon held an extraordinary meeting dedicated to discussing the assault on the Mayor and members of the Municipal Police while they were carrying out their duties on Saturday, December 6, 2025, preventing violations on public property in the vicinity of the seafront (specifically, stalls selling imported frozen fish).

In light of the many inaccuracies circulated by certain media outlets and statements made by those responsible for the violations, the Municipal Council wishes to clarify that the owners of the stalls had previously been served notices ordering their removal after the municipality had already dismantled and confiscated the stalls on several occasions. They were informed that the Mira Fish Market is the only location designated by the municipality for the sale of fish. Nevertheless, they have consistently returned to display their goods—which consist of frozen, not fresh, fish—at the roadside in conditions that fail to meet even the minimum food safety standards, thereby posing a risk to consumers' health.

Regarding the events of Saturday, the Council regrets that the violators have sought to promote false accounts of what occurred. Video recordings circulated on social media, copies of which were obtained by the municipality and submitted to the security forces, clearly contradict the claims that there was no assault on the Mayor and the Municipal Police. The footage documents the throwing of gasoline and threats to set them on fire.

The Council will limit itself to these facts, as the full details are now in the hands of the security authorities and the Public Prosecutor's Office. Legal proceedings are being pursued against anyone found through the investigation to have participated in the assault or to have disseminated misleading information on social media.

Based on the above, the Municipal Council reaffirms its determination to continue preventing all violations and encroachments on public property. The enforcement of regulations is not directed against any particular group, nor is it intended to deprive anyone of their livelihood. However, earning a living cannot, under any circumstances, come at the expense of public health, public safety, or the orderly management of the city—particularly when commercial activities are conducted outside established health and regulatory standards.

The Council further emphasizes that allowing these stalls to return to their previous location—or to any other location—is not open for discussion. The designated venue for selling fish remains the Mira Fish Market, and frozen fish may only be sold in premises that comply with the required public health standards.

The Municipal Council extends its gratitude to all those who stood by the municipality—including public figures, organizations, and civil society institutions—in support of upholding the law and protecting public property. It also calls upon all citizens to cooperate with the Municipal Police in safeguarding the public interest, preserving the city's security, public health, and the well-being of its residents, and to verify the accuracy of information before sharing news that may appear, in good faith, to support a perceived grievance but in reality harms the public interest, whether in terms of citizens' health or the city's urban management plan.