Burning of Christmas Tree Sparks Protests in Syria’s Capital

Demonstrations in Syria's capital reflect underlying tensions amid fears of sectarian strife and minority persecution.

Hundreds of people gathered in Christian neighborhoods in Damascus on Tuesday after a video surfaced showing an artificial Christmas tree ablaze in Al-Suqaylabiyah, a town predominantly inhabited by Christians. Protesters took to the streets carrying wooden crosses, chanting against sectarian violence in response to the inflammatory event.

The video, which confirmed by The New York Times, showed masked individuals surrounding the burning tree. The motivations behind the act remain murky, and the national government has yet to address the incident publicly.

This event unfolded shortly after the recent ousting of Bashar al-Assad by an Islamist rebel group, raising concerns among minority communities, including Christians, Druse, and Alawites, faced with potential retribution. Despite the unsettling political landscape, the rebel groups have assured minority populations of their safety.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a monitoring group based in the UK, attributed responsibility for the tree burning to foreign fighters, noting that they had been apprehended. The ongoing civil war has seen an influx of foreign combatants, many of whom align with anti-Assad factions.

Additionally, there have been other reports of hostility targeting minority groups, including gunfire directed at a Greek Orthodox Church in Hama and attacks on Alawite shrines—home to those historically favored under Assad's regime, given his Alawite background.

Reporting from Beirut, Euan Ward contributes to the discourse surrounding this contentious chapter in Syria's prolonged conflict.