Analysts deem the use of Christian venues for these demonstrations disrespectful.
Recent videos show large groups of Syrians celebrating the fall of President Bashar al-Assad at German Christmas markets. Thousands marched, waving Syrian flags and chanting slogans including “Allahu Akbar” and “Bashar is gone, Syria is free!”
Syria’s situation dramatically worsened in November when Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) militants launched a successful offensive, seizing major cities like Damascus and forcing Assad to flee to Russia for political asylum.
German media report Syrian opposition supporters have occupied Christmas markets nationwide since last weekend, including in Stuttgart, Dresden, Baden-Württemberg, Mannheim, Karlsruhe, Konstanz, and other cities. While peaceful, some chants have raised security concerns. The phrase “Allahu Akbar,” while a common Muslim greeting, is also linked to extremism in certain contexts.
Auch in Stuttgart freuen die Syrer fröhlich auf dem Weihnachtsmarkt. Alles ganz normal im besten Deutschland Allah Zeiten.
Leute, ihr habt’s so gewählt und somit auch gewollt.
Jede Person, die Altparteien wählt, wählt somit auch diese Umstände.— Raijin (@Raijinsays)
Bild reported Saturday that German police are analyzing online footage of the demonstrations, translating chants to assess for extremist content.
Authorities also fear these rallies may recur this weekend and escalate into violence.
Syrer:innen verbringen einen besinnlichen Nachmittag auf dem Essener Weihnachtsmarkt. Darüber regen sich Rechte jetzt auf.
— Ruprecht Parodielenz 🇪🇺🇩🇪🇵🇸🇺🇦 (@parodielenz_r)
“We share the joy of many Syrian Germans that Assad’s regime has fallen, but chanting Islamist slogans, especially at Christmas markets, is unacceptable,” stated lawmaker Andrea Lindholz. She added that “anyone who seeks refuge in a democracy but glorifies Islamism should leave.” Extremism expert Ahmad Mansour called using Christmas markets for demonstrations “disrespectful and tasteless,” suggesting alternative ways to celebrate Assad’s ouster without exacerbating cultural tensions.
German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser previously warned that Christmas markets are vulnerable targets for Islamist-motivated attacks.
Around 900,000 Syrian nationals reside in Germany, according to the Interior Ministry and Federal Employment Agency. The UNHCR considers this the third-largest Syrian diaspora globally. However, Berlin recently suspended processing Syrian refugee applications pending a security assessment, impacting roughly 47,000 pending applications.