Dozens of Syrian Christians protested in the capital Damascus on Tuesday, demanding more protection for their religious minority after a Christmas tree was set on fire in the city of Hama a day earlier.
Many of the rebels who now rule Syria are jihadis, although Ahmad al-Sharaa, the leader of the main rebel group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), has abandoned long-standing ties to al- Qaeda and has spent years portraying himself as a champion of pluralism and tolerance.
It is not clear who set fire to the Christmas tree on Monday, an action that was criticized by a representative from HTS who visited the town and spoke to the community.
“This act was committed by non-Syrians, and they will be punished beyond your expectations,” the representative said in a video widely shared on social media.
“The Christmas tree will be fully restored by this evening.
Christians marched through the streets of Damascus on Tuesday to denounce the burning of a Christmas tree in the city of Hama, Syria. The criticism comes after an increase in attacks on Christian sites in the country.
On Tuesday, protesters marched through the streets of Bab Touma, a district in Damascus, shouting slogans against foreign fighters and carrying large wooden crosses.
“We want Syria to be for all Syrians. We want a voice in the future for our country,” said Patriarch Ignatius Aphrem II of the Syrian Orthodox Church as he addressed the crowd in a churchyard. , confirming to them the rights of Christians in Syria. .
Since HTS led a swift offensive that ousted former president Bashar al-Assad earlier this month, Syria's minority communities have been at the forefront, unsure of how to they will be dealt with under the rebel-led government.
“We are here to demand a democratic and free government for one people and one country,” said another protester. “We stand united – Muslims and Christians. No to sectarianism.”
