Hundreds of Christians Protest in Damascus Against Attack on Christian Sites

Hundreds of protesters took to the streets in Christian areas of Damascus, the capital of Syria, on Tuesday morning, January 4, to protest the burning of a Christmas tree near the city of Hama in central Syria. The protesters chanted slogans in defense of Christian rights as they marched towards the Orthodox Church headquarters in Damascus. Journalists from the French news agency witnessed the demonstrations. These protests occurred just over two weeks after an armed coalition led by Islamists overthrew Bashar al-Assad's government. The opposition leader has positioned himself as a protector of minority rights in this predominantly Sunni country. One protester, identifying himself as 'George,' told the French news agency, 'I am protesting against the injustice towards Christians.' He added, 'If we cannot live our Christian faith in our country as we did before, we no longer belong here.' The protests began after a video circulated on social media showing masked fighters setting fire to a Christmas tree in a Christian settlement near Hama. According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, these fighters were from the Islamist group 'Ansar al-Tawhid' and were foreign nationals. In another video released on social media, a religious leader from the Islamist group 'Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham,' which recently seized power, told local residents that those who burned the tree 'are not Syrians' and promised they would be punished. He added, 'This tree will be rebuilt and lit by tomorrow morning.' Reuters also reported that officials from an Orthodox church in Hama stated that five days prior, armed individuals had fired at the church and attempted to destroy a cross after entering it. The Islamist group Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham, which has roots in al-Qaeda and is supported by Turkey, has promised to protect minorities following its swift attack that led to the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad this month.