Dozens of Syrian Christians protested in the capital Damascus on Tuesday, demanding greater protection for their religious minority after a Christmas tree was set on fire in the city of Hama a day earlier.
Many of the insurgents who currently rule Syria are jihadists, although Ahmad al-Sharaa, leader of the main rebel group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), has renounced long-standing ties to al-Qaeda and has for years presented himself as a supporter of pluralism and tolerance.
It is unclear who set the Christmas tree on fire on Monday, something that was condemned by an HTS representative who visited the city and addressed 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 completely restored this evening.”
Christians marched through the streets of Damascus on Tuesday to condemn the burning of a Christmas tree in the city of Hama, Syria. The condemnation follows an increase in attacks on Christian sites in the country.
On Tuesday, protesters marched through the streets of Bab Touma, a district of Damascus, shouting slogans against foreign fighters and carrying large wooden crosses.
“We demand that Syria be for all Syrians. We want a say in the future of our country,” said Patriarch Ignatius Aphrem II of the Syriac Orthodox Church, speaking to crowds in the church courtyard, assuring them of the rights of Christians in Syria.
Since HTS led a swift offensive that toppled former President Bashar al-Assad earlier this month, Syria's minority communities have been on edge, unsure of how they will be treated under the emerging rebel-led government.
“We are here to demand a democratic and free government for one nation and one people,” another protester said. “We are united – Muslims and Christians. No to sectarianism.”