Hundreds of Syrians in Vienna Celebrate the End of the Assad Regime

The demonstrators waved Syrian flags with the inscription "Free Syria" in front of the Vienna State Opera. According to the police report, 3,000 people had registered for the protest action. This number is likely to have multiplied tenfold.

Syrians in Vienna Celebrate the Fall of the Assad Regime

The mass demonstration was announced by the "free Syrian community in Austria in solidarity with the Syrian revolution" to "support our displaced people in the camps and their right to return to their newly liberated villages". Reports from people on the ground indicated a steady influx to the demonstration from 1:00 pm. Ultimately, there may have been around 30,000 participants. The protest was very loud, but remained peaceful except for the lighting of firecrackers and fireworks. The police also reported no incidents upon APA request. Reports of "celebratory shots fired by blank guns", which the FPÖ circulated in a press release, were also not reported to the police. The celebration demonstration concluded in front of the parliament.

In view of the change of power in Syria, the Foreign Ministry called for an "orderly and peaceful transition process" based on UN Security Council Resolution 2254 "towards a stable and inclusive political order. No excesses of violence or displacements, respect for human rights and the protection of ethnic and religious minorities are the highest premise", the Foreign Office stated on Sunday in a statement. The demonstration also caused disruptions to the trams: the ring lines were diverted or shortened. The Vienna Lines recommended passengers to use the subway lines.

(APA/Red)

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