Syrian protests erupt over video of fighters burning Christmas tree
The IndependentGet Nadine White's Race Report newsletter for a fresh perspective on the week's news Get our free newsletter from The Independent's Race Correspondent Get our free newsletter from The Independent's Race Correspondent SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Thousands of protesters have taken to the streets across Syria after foreign fighters burned down a Christmas tree in the centre of the country, sparking concerns about sectarian violence. Demonstrators resumed marches on Tuesday morning in the Christian areas of Damascus in response to a video on social media showing the burning of the tree near Hama in central Syria. The video that spread on social media showed two hooded fighters setting fire to a Christmas tree in the Christian-majority town of Suqaylabiyah, near Hama. Syria’s victorious Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, formerly affiliated with al-Qaeda, has vowed that the country will be for all people, not just Sunni Muslims, and that it will protect minorities, including the Christian community.