Christmas Tree Burned in Syria, Sparking Outrage and Protests

A public Christmas tree was burned in Syria on December 23, sparking outrage among Christians and protests, according to regional media sources and widespread social media reports.
A video of the Christmas tree, which was lit on fire, has been circulating on X and other social media sources, enraging local Christian communities.

In response, other reports say that Christians have raised a cross in the same place, in defiance of the action.

Speculation and finger-pointing abounds over the perpetrators of the act, with some saying western-backed radical muslims were responsible.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says the fighters were foreigners from the Islamist group Ansar al-Tawhid.

Meanwhile, the Israel Times highlights that a religious leader from Syria’s newly ruling Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) has addressed residents, claiming those who torched the tree were “not Syrian” and promised they would be punished.

The news exacerbates prexisting fears among Christian populations over their safety and rights after the fall of the Assad regime and as the new leader of Syria Ahmed al-Sharaa scrambles to form a government and create stability in the war-torn region.

Reuters recently reported that Syrian church leaders are advising Christians to scale back their Christmas celebrations this year, despite assurances from HTS that they are free to practise their religion.

The recommendation follows several incidents of intimidation of Christians, with this burning of a Christmas tree being added to the growing list of anti-Christian incidents.