In brief
On December 8, Syrians gathered in Washington Square Park to celebrate the fall of President Bashar al-Assad following a rebel offensive.
Around 100 ecstatic Syrians and their supporters rallied in Washington Square Park, New York, celebrating news that President Bashar al-Assad had fled Syria amid a rebel advancement on the capital. Drumming and singing revolutionary songs in Arabic, they formed circles to dance the dabke, uniting in happiness over the fall of a regime that has long oppressed them. Many waved the opposition's flag, adorned in green, white, and black.Marcelle Shehwaro, a Syrian activist, expressed her cautious joy after years of hardship since leaving Aleppo in 2014. Having survived secret police scrutiny, she finally felt a glimmer of hope for family connections and for Syria’s future. Hazem Alanani, another Aleppo native, echoed her sentiments, recalling his past struggles and disbelief at the recent developments. Both individuals, alongside the crowd, emphasized their dreams of freedom and change for Syria after years of despair.
