Syrians across Germany are rejoicing over the death of the despised leader al-Assad

German Syrian immigrants took to the streets in their thousands at the weekend to celebrate the ouster of President Bashar al-Assad, whose brutal attacks have led hundreds of thousands of people to Europe to seek safety.

When the civil war broke out in 2015, Germany allowed some 890,000 Syrian refugees into the country under the so-called Willkommenskultur (“welcoming culture”) policy led by then-chancellor Angela Merkel.

Almost a decade later, police across Germany counted thousands joining the march to celebrate al-Assad being ousted from Damascus – 11,000 in the city of Essen, 6,000 in Munich, 5,000 in Berlin, 3,000 in Mainz and thousands more in cities like Hamburg, Nuremberg. , Hamm, Wuppertal, Düsseldorf and Dortmund on Sunday.

In the Berlin district of Kreuzberg, home to many Middle Eastern migrants, thousands cheered, set off fireworks and waved Syrian flags – many with “Free Syria” written on them.

The night before, with news of Damascus falling to rebel forces, violent celebrations broke out in the nearby district of Neukölln, home to many migrants and Syrian-run shops and restaurants.

In the same area, there have also been protests against Israel's bombing of Gaza in recent months, many ending in violence between police and pro-Palestinian protesters. The police reported that there were no major incidents over the weekend.

Meanwhile in Hamburg, where about a thousand people celebrated the change of power in Syria at a station in the center of the city in the northern port, a young Syrian said that he had been wishing for this day for a long time, the day he could finally return to his country.

A Syrian who came to the meeting with his 11-year-old son, said he saw his child's future in Germany. “Everything in Syria has been ruined by al-Assad,” the man said. Others say they want to wait and see how things develop in Syria.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz also welcomed the end of al-Assad's rule in Syria, pointing to the brutal oppression of his people and the death of many people because of his conscience, driving many Syrians to Germany.

“The Syrian people have faced terrible hardships. So the end of Assad's rule in Syria is good news.” It is now important that law and order be restored to Syria as soon as possible, he said.

Berlin's Senator for Integration, Cansel Kiziltepe, told the Berliner Morgenpost newspaper that he was “happy with the people coming out of the streets of Berlin celebrating freedom and democracy.”

Leading voices in the German Syrian community also joined the celebration, with human rights lawyer Michal Shammas calling on Facebook: “Let's rebuild our Syria together.”

Since Saturday, Syrian opponents of the overthrown government have been publishing videos showing the release of prisoners. They reportedly include political prisoners held under the regime of Bashar's father Hafez al-Assad, who died in 2000.

Hassan al-Aswad of the Syrian Democratic Alliance appealed to the Syrian people to forgive those who were part of the old process but did not commit serious crimes.

A lawyer from the southwestern Syrian city of Daraa, who lives in exile in Hanover, published a video in which he praised the fact that the rebels did not destroy the government's infrastructure during their advance on Damascus.

“I forgive the person who has lived in my house since 2012.” He added: “May God forgive you. I don't want anything from you.”

The Syrian people were facing a great test, al-Aswad said. “War is not easy, but peace is very difficult,” he said. Those guilty should face a fair trial – something Syrians had not faced in the past, he added.