A Syrian interior ministry spokesman has announced plans to introduce a law regulating protests in the country, after a demonstration at the UAE embassy sparked tension between Abu Dhabi and Damascus.
Speaking to Al-Ikhbariya TV on Sunday night, the spokesperson, Nour al-Din al-Baba, said work was underway to draft legislation aimed at regulating demonstrations in the future.
The official added that new measures related to the incident would be announced "soon", while authorities have already reinforced security around diplomatic missions, deploying additional forces.
Al-Baba also suggested that some of those involved in storming the UAE embassy were found, following their arrest, to have ties to the regime of former dictator Bashar al-Assad and Palestinian groups sympathetic to it, such as the left-wing Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine.
On Sunday, Syria’s interior ministry announced the arrest of two individuals, stressing its determination to pursue all those involved after videos circulated showing individuals attempting to storm the UAE diplomatic compound, remove the Emirati flag, and replace it with a Palestinian one.
A Syrian security official told Reuters that a group of protesters broke away from a larger rally in nearby Umayyad Square and headed towards the embassy.
Chants such as "the Zionist embassy" and "damn your soul, Bin Zayed" were heard during the protest , referencing Abu Dhabi’s normalisation of ties with Israel in 2020 and its president, Mohammed bin Zayed.
Ever since it normalised ties, the UAE has faced frequent accusations that it is allied with Israel amid its genocidal war on Gaza.
Last week, pro-Palestine demonstrations were held across Syria in response to the Israeli Knesset’s passage of a law allowing the execution of Palestinian prisoners convicted on security-related charges.
The UAE strongly condemned the incident at its embassy , describing it as involving "riots, acts of vandalism, and assaults".
Syria also issued a statement condemning the events, stating that while it respects the right to peaceful protest, the incident constituted a "reprehensible and unacceptable act" and a clear violation of national law.
Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa held a phone call with UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed on Sunday to discuss regional developments and bilateral relations.
The protest follows earlier demonstrations linked to the UAE’s reported detention of Syrian figure Issam Bouidani last April, with protesters gathering near the Emirati embassy demanding his release.
Bouidani, a former official of the Jaish al-Islam armed group, currently holds a senior position within Syria’s defence establishment. Authorities have not publicly disclosed the reasons for his arrest.