Crowds of protesters took to the streets of Syria's capital Damascus on Sunday to decry efforts to limit the sale and consumption of alcohol. The capital's governor last week banned the sale of alcoholic beverages in restaurants and bars across the city. They have been given three months to comply with the order. Authorities said the decision was made "at the request of the local community." They have granted an exemption to shops in three predominantly Christian neighborhoods, allowing them to sell alcohol in sealed take-away bottles. The stores, however, aren't permitted to serve booze on site. They also must keep at least 75 meters (246 feet) away from mosques and schools, and 20 meters (65 feet) away from police stations and government offices. At the demonstration on Sunday, heavily armed security forces surrounded and monitored the protesters. The gathering passed without incident.…