More than 30.000 people waving Syrian flags gathered in the center of Vienna to celebrate the fall of long-time Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad, but the regime's ouster also caused a stir on the Austrian political scene.

The leader of the Austrian Freedom Party (FPO) Herbert Kickl used the opportunity to call for an organized return of tens of thousands of Syrian refugees to Austria.

– Re-emigration immediately. Now your homeland needs you - Kikl said on his Facebook profile.

Kickle further sharpened the rhetoric by noting sarcastically that with the fall of al-Assad, the grounds for asylum for the protesters in Vienna also disappear.

- Thousands of Syrians are currently celebrating the fall of Assad in the center of Vienna. With the fall of Assad, the basis of asylum for these people disappears, it is time for them to return home. The Austrian social system would have a positive effect, which would be greatly relieved if a "knife expert" left Austria. So, happy journey" - said the leader of the party with a series of xenophobic attitudes.

The leader of the FPO suggested that the personal data of the protesters in Vienna should be taken in order to speed up the process of returning to Syria. In recent years, Austria has been the new home for tens of thousands of Syrians who fled the civil war and regime repression. Until two months ago, a total of 21.532 people from Syria received refugee status in Austria, and throughout the year, 14.869 Syrians were granted asylum. 6.663 persons were granted protection, as persons exposed to serious threats to life, safety or freedom, but they are not in the category of refugees according to the United Nations Convention. According to data from the Ministry of the Interior, 95.004 Syrian citizens lived in Austria at the beginning of the year, making it one of the largest foreign communities in the country.

On Sunday morning, around 100 people gathered in front of the Syrian embassy in Vienna's third district. Participants waved Syrian flags and celebrated the news of political change in their homeland.

- It is incredible that the killer finally fell - said one protester.

Others expressed hope that many Syrians would now consider returning home: "We have all lost a brother or a relative to the regime." The demonstrations quickly escalated into a mass gathering, as a result of which the center of Vienna was closed to traffic.

In the coming weeks and months, it will become clear whether Syrians will really be able to return. Although the political situation in their homeland is dynamic, many refugees remain cautious, wondering whether the new era will bring them security or new challenges.

Austrian authorities, on the other hand, are under pressure to find a balance between a humanitarian approach and growing political demands to return refugees.