Syrian rebel supporters enter embassy in Athens, police intervene

ATHENS (Reuters) - Supporters of the Syrian rebels that ousted President Bashar al-Assad entered the Syrian embassy in Athens on Sunday and hoisted the rebel flag from the rooftop, police and a Reuters reporter said.

Police entered the embassy compound and detained four people, but left the flag flying, said a Reuters reporter at the scene.

Later in the day, at Athens' central Syntagma square, dozens of jubilant Syrian opposition supporters waved rebel flags, danced and hugged each other.

Syrian rebels declared Assad's ouster after seizing control of Damascus on Sunday, forcing him to flee and ending his family's decades of rule after more than 13 years of civil war.

A small group of people celebrated outside the embassy compound in Athens.

"Our joy is indescribable, 55 years of horrible dictatorship has finally ended and ... the dictator escaped and left the people," said Alompeint Marouf, 59.

Greek media reported that protesters also tore down Assad’s portrait in the embassy but a senior Greek police official could not confirm this.

(This story has been refiled to correct the spelling of the central square in Athens in paragraph 3)

(Reporting by Stelios Misinas, Writing by Aleksandar Vasovic and Edward McAllister, Editing by Christina Fincher)