Protests in Cyprus Following the Fall of Bashar al-Assad's Regime in Syria

Over the past weekend, peaceful protests were held in Cyprus in support of the opposition forces that seized power in Syria. Syrians living on the island celebrated the victory of the rebels and the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime.

In Nicosia, protesters gathered at the walls of the Old City, chanting slogans and waving flags of the Syrian opposition, Cyprus, and Greece. Hundreds of demonstrators then marched toward Eleftheria Square, continuing their chants.

A similar march took place along the coastal road in Limassol, where around 1,000 people participated, carrying flags of the Syrian opposition.

In both cases, the protests were accompanied by a heavy police presence, including officers with the Aiantas water cannon vehicle. However, no intervention was necessary.

To recap, on December 8, Syrian armed groups opposed to President Bashar al-Assad announced that they had captured the capital, Damascus, marking the fall of the previous government and the president’s escape from the country. Later that day, militants imposed a curfew in Damascus, which ran from 4:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m.

After failed negotiations with the opposition, Bashar al-Assad resigned and left the country. According to Russian media, the former president and his family arrived in Moscow on the evening of December 8, where they were granted political asylum.