Maliki Mardinalli

So what are you going to do?

Are you going to tell them why?

For them, this isn't over.

They could let it go, but Maliki won't.

They decide to test the limits another way, make it public, and see who's stronger right now, the government or the people.

They want to use public opinion to force them to reinstate the show.

The Styria comedians are all pretty young.

They think in TikTok and Instagram.

They believe a big enough online following will give them protection from government officials trying to silence them.

They have hundreds of thousands of followers on Instagram.

Syria's revolutionaries also use social media to rise to power.

But now that they run things, they fear it.

Fear posts that inflame sectarian tempers.

Fear looking weak.

At the same time, they don't want to look like the old regime, repressive and censoring in public.

So they pressure quietly, in private, and the comedians answer loudly, online.

Maliki and Sharif go on the offensive.

They post that the Hammer show is cancelled and tell Hammer fans to come to Mahade instead.

They'll add seats, they'll arrange buses.

They're trying to turn the followers into force.