Men with guns crouched in the streets, firing on one another in front of a hotel filled with journalists.
A tank bearing two Syrian independence flags at a narrow intersection of trash-strewn streets fired a booming round at an unseen target.
In a bid to quell the unrest, police flooded streets, firing teargas and "hornet's nest" sting grenades, which disperse rubber bullets and a toxic chemical powder.
On the edge of the parade ground the crowd surged now and then to the thud of gunshots as police in adjoining streets fired at alleged looters.
His supporters blocked roads with burning tyres across Sidon and in Tripoli, a Sunni stronghold on Lebanon's northern coast, masked gunmen rode motorbikes through the streets, firing guns and burning tyres in a show of loyalty.
At anti-government protests, police chase protesters into side streets, firing live rounds as well as tear gas and birdshot.
Video from the scene shows police walking through empty but noisy, tree-lined streets, firing bullets.
Anger filled the streets, fires emerged, cars were flipped and looting was witnessed, all reminiscent of a similar scene in that city 17 years ago.
Also damaged in the fire were 281 and 289 Grand Street, fire officials said.
John Lentini says of the Lime Street Fire, "This was my epiphany.
