Syria: thousands of Christians protest in the streets after the burning of a large Christmas tree

Thousands of Christians came out on Tuesday to protest in the streets of Syria after a Christmas tree was set on fire in the predominantly Christian town of Al-Suqaylabiyah in the central Hama province.

The government, led by the jihadist Hayat Tahrir al-Sham organization, condemned the act, noting that the perpetrators of the fire are not Syrians and that they had been arrested.

Fears rise among Christians and other minorities

The incident heightens concerns among Christians and other minorities in Syria following the fall of Bashar al-Asad's regime, which resulted in Hayat Tahrir al-Sham taking control of most of the country.

Although Ahmed al-Sharaa, de facto leader in Syria, is trying to show a moderate image and has affirmed that he will protect the country's minorities, the truth is that fears persist.

In images shared on social media, a group of armed and masked men is seen spraying a large Christmas tree in the main square of the town of Al-Suqaylabiyah with a flammable liquid and then setting it on fire.

It should be noted that a large number of foreign Muslims had come to Syria to fight the Assad regime in different organizations, including Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, to which Ahmed al-Sharaa belongs.

"We will give our lives for the cross!"

As mentioned, following the incident a large number of Christians held a series of protests in various parts of the country, including Damascus, to protest against the incident and demand that their rights be respected.

The demonstrators, who carried crosses and Syria's new national flag, called for an end to "injustice and sectarianism against Christians."

Speaking to the media, one protester said, "Either we live in a country that respects our Christianity as we did before or they open the door for us to go abroad."

In Damascus, a group of protesters exclaimed, "We will give our lives for the cross!" and, "We demand rights for Christians!"