DAMASCUS, Syria — The neighborhood of Shaalan in the center of Damascus was considered the most attractive place for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community. Many used to gather in front of the famous al-Madfai park or sit on the steps of Byblos Bank, which had become a popular meeting place. However, the scene has changed since the war began.

Many gays have left Syria, while those who decided to stay frequent other public places close to their homes. Any person wandering around an area far from their place of residence arouses the suspicions of the security forces deployed in the streets, especially in the Green Zone, which includes al-Rawda, Abu Rummaneh, Shaalan and al-Maliki. The regime is trying to keep the area safe as the Ministry of Defense and the residence of President Bashar al-Assad are also located there.

The Shaalan neighborhood is thus no longer the favorite place for gays who live outside the security square. At most, they come early and leave early and prefer to spend their time in restaurants or cafes rather than in the streets.

Two years ago, on the benches of al-Madfai park in Shaalan, Ayman and his partner Muaz met as he took his lunch break close to the clothes shop in which he works. “The days when we used to go to the park are gone. People have become more aware of the gay community over the last three years, especially after the media placed it in the spotlight in a negative way. I work in a shop that is close to the park and I'm afraid that they know about me and will fire me for this reason,” Ayman told Al-Monitor. “In the park, which is close to the Ministry of Defense headquarters, two years ago a mortar shell fell that killed two people. This is why I prefer to sit in a cafe, it’s safer,” he said.