Protests have swept across Syria following the burning of a Christmas tree in Suqaylabiyah, a Christian-majority town in Hama province, which has sparked outrage among local communities. On Monday evening, a video surfaced showing two masked individuals setting the tree alight in the town’s main square, igniting widespread anger.
The act, which occurred in the aftermath of the dramatic toppling of President Bashar al-Assad’s regime earlier this month, quickly prompted demonstrations in Suqaylabiyah and the capital, Damascus. Protesters chanted slogans calling for the protection of Christian rights, voicing concern over the future of religious minorities in Syria under the new leadership. A demonstrator in Damascus told AFP, “If we’re not allowed to live our Christian faith in our country, as we used to, then we don’t belong here anymore.”
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that the attackers were foreign fighters from Ansar al-Tawhid, a militant group linked to the broader Islamist insurgency in Syria. Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), the dominant faction in the region and a key force in the recent uprising that led to Assad’s fall, quickly condemned the act and announced that the individuals responsible had been detained. HTS, which emerged as a powerful political and military force after the regime’s collapse, reassured the public that the tree would be restored by the following morning as a gesture of solidarity with Syria’s Christian population.
In a follow-up video, an HTS religious leader, holding a cross, promised the crowd that the community’s traditions would be respected and that the rights of religious and ethnic minorities would be upheld under the new regime. The HTS, which controls large parts of northwestern Syria, emphasized its commitment to maintaining stability and protecting the rights of religious groups, despite the recent tensions surrounding the incident.
The protests reflect growing unease among Syria’s Christian community, who have lived in the region for centuries but have faced increasing challenges throughout the years of civil conflict. Following Assad’s ouster on December 8, many religious minorities are seeking assurances that their rights will be protected under the new Islamist-led government.
International reactions have focused on the potential for change in Syria’s political landscape. European leaders have praised the removal of Assad as a “positive development,” with some expressing optimism about the future of religious and ethnic freedoms in the country. However, the protests highlight the fragility of the situation and the challenges facing the new leadership as it navigates the complex dynamics of post-Assad Syria.
The incident has also raised broader concerns about the role of religious and ethnic minorities in a country transitioning from years of conflict, with many calling for urgent steps to ensure that the rights of all Syrians, regardless of their faith, are protected in the future.
As Syria adjusts to a new political reality, the actions and promises of groups like HTS will be closely scrutinized, and the events in Suqaylabiyah serve as a reminder of the delicate balance the country’s new authorities must strike between maintaining order and addressing the concerns of its diverse population.
