On December 8, 2024, around 100 Syrians and supporters rallied in New York City, marking an emotional response to the reported fall of President Bashar al-Assad after rebel forces captured Syria's capital.
Syrian Expatriates Celebrate Assad's Fall in NYC
Syrian Expatriates Celebrate Assad's Fall in NYC
Syrian expatriates and their supporters gathered in Washington Square Park to celebrate the potential end of Bashar al-Assad's regime in Syria.
In the gathering, attendees celebrated amid fervent chants and communal dances while reflecting on their tumultuous past and newfound hopes for the future of their homeland.
As reports emerged of President Bashar al-Assad fleeing to Russia following a successful rebel offensive, Washington Square Park became a venue of joyous celebration among approximately 100 Syrians and their allies. Participants expressed their jubilation through traditional drumming, singing revolutionary songs, and engaging in the dabke, a popular Middle Eastern dance, while displaying the Syrian opposition flag.
Marcell Shehwaro, a 40-year-old activist originally from Aleppo, embodied the complexity of emotions present at the celebration. After enduring political persecution and living in hiding for years, she conveyed cautious happiness over the historical moment, emphasizing that she wanted to savor the joy despite uncertainties regarding Syria's future.
Shehwaro, whose mother's death at the hands of the regime catalyzed her activism, recounted a decade of fear and isolation from family, now replaced by the hope of re-establishing connections as conditions in Syria evolve.
Hazem Alanani, 33, who also left Syria due to political pressures, shared a similar perspective. Having witnessed the regime's strengthening grip over the years, he expressed disbelief at the recent turn of events, stating, "Everything that we chanted for and fought for in the early days of the revolution has become a reality."
Participants like Alanani expressed overwhelming emotion in the wake of the news, indicating a long-standing yearning for regime change that had felt unattainable, but is now potentially within reach. As festivities continued with the sharing of traditional foods like baklava and shawarma, the atmosphere was filled with hope for a new chapter in Syria's turbulent history.
As reports emerged of President Bashar al-Assad fleeing to Russia following a successful rebel offensive, Washington Square Park became a venue of joyous celebration among approximately 100 Syrians and their allies. Participants expressed their jubilation through traditional drumming, singing revolutionary songs, and engaging in the dabke, a popular Middle Eastern dance, while displaying the Syrian opposition flag.
Marcell Shehwaro, a 40-year-old activist originally from Aleppo, embodied the complexity of emotions present at the celebration. After enduring political persecution and living in hiding for years, she conveyed cautious happiness over the historical moment, emphasizing that she wanted to savor the joy despite uncertainties regarding Syria's future.
Shehwaro, whose mother's death at the hands of the regime catalyzed her activism, recounted a decade of fear and isolation from family, now replaced by the hope of re-establishing connections as conditions in Syria evolve.
Hazem Alanani, 33, who also left Syria due to political pressures, shared a similar perspective. Having witnessed the regime's strengthening grip over the years, he expressed disbelief at the recent turn of events, stating, "Everything that we chanted for and fought for in the early days of the revolution has become a reality."
Participants like Alanani expressed overwhelming emotion in the wake of the news, indicating a long-standing yearning for regime change that had felt unattainable, but is now potentially within reach. As festivities continued with the sharing of traditional foods like baklava and shawarma, the atmosphere was filled with hope for a new chapter in Syria's turbulent history.
