The protests in Syria over Christmas tree burning were mainly caused by the burning of a tree in the main square of Suqarlabiya, a Christian-majority.

The incident triggered a large-scale protest, with thousands of demonstrators taking to the streets, holding crosses and Syrian flags, chanting, “We will sacrifice our souls for the cross,“ and calling on the new Islamic authorities to take measures to protect Christian ethnic minorities.

The main complaint of the protesters is that, if they cannot practice their Christian faith in the country as before, then they no longer belong there.

Syria is home to many different ethnic and religious groups, including Kurds, Armenians, Assyrians, Christians, Druze, Alawite Shiites and Arab Sunnis, of which Arab Sunnis make up the majority of the Muslim population within the country.

After the incident, Ahmed Shala, the de facto leader of Syria, responded that the arsonist was a foreigner and had been detained, and promised to repair the Christmas tree.

The protests in Syria over the Christmas tree burning reflect the concerns of Syrian society about religious freedom and the rights of minorities, and also show the efforts and challenges of the new Islamic authorities in dealing with these issues.