Commemoration of Assad's escape: 3,000 demonstrate in Berlin!

Commemoration of Assad's escape: 3,000 demonstrate in Berlin!

On Sunday, December 7, 2025, around 3,000 people gathered in Berlin for a demonstration to mark the first anniversary of Bashar al-Assad's escape. Originally only 300 participants were registered, but the high turnout prompted the police to increase their presence. The route led from Alexanderplatz to the Brandenburg Gate, and fortunately the demonstration was peaceful without any incidents. This rally is an important moment given the dramatic developments in Syria last year, which were marked by Assad's overthrow, tagesschau.de reports.

December 8, 2024 remains a landmark date in Syria's history. On that day, Bashar al-Assad was overthrown by a rebel coalition led by the Islamist militia HTS. On the night of December 7th to 8th, he fled hastily to Russia, supported by the Russian secret service. His family, consisting of his wife Asma and their three children, had already fled. Assad's plans were kept secret to avoid possible sabotage, with even his closest confidants and his brother not being informed, as stern.de reports.

The circumstances of the escape

During the final days of his presidency, Assad's situation was critical. Reports show that he tried to ask Russia and Iran for military support, but to no avail. The Ukraine conflict had already put Russia in a difficult position, making it impossible to provide aid to Assad. In a recent conversation with Prime Minister Mohammed al-Jalali, he described the desperate situation of the Syrian army, which was too weakened to offer effective resistance. Hours before his departure, he assured his officers that help was on the way from Russia, which turned out to be illusory.

On December 8, when he took off in a Russian plane from a military airfield in Latakia, the transponder was switched off to protect him from detection. He then struggled to secure a safe exit, with Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov using diplomatic channels to support the effort.

One year after Assad's fall

A year after the fall of Bashar al-Assad, both in Syria and among the demonstrators in Berlin there is a deep-rooted hope for change. Borhan, a refugee, and a mother of five living in ruins express a desire for improvements in their country. Despite the adverse circumstances and ongoing uncertainty regarding basic services such as electricity and water, the Syrian population remains remarkably friendly and desires health and prosperity for all.

The current situation raises many questions, particularly regarding the return of hundreds of thousands who have fled in recent years. Everyday life in Syria remains characterized by inflation, and while states like Saudi Arabia and Turkey are already taking action, Germany is still remaining cautious. How much these developments will affect the integration of children from Syrian families in Germany remains to be seen, but there is more than ever a need for positive change in the country, informs wdr.de.