Continued Protests in Syria; Protesters Tear Down Images of Assad

On Friday, September 8, Syrian protesters in the city of Suwayda in southern Syria tore down images of Bashar al-Assad, the President of Syria. Anti-government demonstrations in this area, which began three weeks ago, have intensified with the addition of large crowds from surrounding villages. In images shared on the social media pages of Syrian activists, several men are seen tearing an image of Assad. In other images, individuals are attempting to weld shut the entrances of government offices. Criticism of Assad in Suwayda has increased since the protests began in late August over the removal of fuel subsidies, one of several measures that have placed additional pressure on people suffering from an economic crisis. Suwayda is the provincial capital of the same name in Syria, where most residents belong to the Druze religious minority, a branch of Ismailism. This city remained under Assad's control during the civil war and has largely been spared from the violence seen elsewhere. Open criticism of the government in areas under its control has been rare until now. However, the dire economic situation has led to widespread discontent among the population towards the government, especially towards Assad himself. In Suwayda, hundreds of protesters gathered on Friday carrying the multicolored Druze flag in Karamah Square. They chanted, 'We raised our voices, and Assad fled in fear' and 'Hey Bashar, we don’t want you.' Earlier in the week, protesters also tore down an image of Hafez al-Assad, the former President of Syria and father of Bashar al-Assad, which was hanging on a government building, and smashed his bust with their shoes. Residents in other government-controlled areas, where restrictions are more severe, have carried out separate protest actions to avoid being identified by government forces.