Washington ( CNN ) -- After months of bloodshed that has left the Syrian people on the brink of civil war , more than 1,000 activists gathered outside the White House on Saturday to mark the one-year anniversary of the start of the uprising in Syria . The activists -- ranging in age from children to senior citizens -- waved Syrian flags and held posters denouncing Syrian President Bashar al-Assad . The protesters were calling upon U.S. President Barack Obama to intervene in the conflict that has left more than 8,000 people dead , according to U.N. estimates . Mahmoud Khattab , chairman of the Syrian American Council and one of the organizers of Saturday 's rally , said he 's tired of Obama 's words and wants to see them turned into action . Khattab , who has met with Secretary of State Hilary Clinton , said the Obama administration has n't stepped in to help Syria for a number of reasons , including a divided opposition . `` That might be true , but I do n't think that that 's an excuse , you know , to let things as is in Syria , '' said Khattab , adding that the administration told him there is danger of a civil war if it interferes . `` What I feel and what I tell them , in fact , if they do n't interfere , there will be civil war and there will be a big mess in Syria that will spread to all surrounding countries . '' According to organizers , more than 1,200 protesters from around the United States -- many of them Syrian-Americans -- attended the rally , where a surprising youth presence expressed their frustration with the situation . Wearing Syrian headbands and face paint , they clapped and chanted in unison , `` We just want to stop the killing , freedom for Syria , God willing ! '' Some of that frustration comes from a lack of American awareness , said 14-year-old Tala al-Saghir . `` Really what we have to do is , you have to inform other people because people do n't know about it , '' said al-Saghir , who has family living in the battered city of Homs . `` All they know is that , 'Oh , there 's something going on in the Middle East , ' when really it 's much more than that . They 're fighting for their freedom . It 's something we have guaranteed here in America . We have it no matter what . But these people do n't have it and they 're fighting for that , and we need to respect that and help them . '' Nadine Tayeb , 16 , agreed . `` As a Syrian-American , we need help , '' Tayeb said . `` We need help from D.C. We need help from Obama . We need help from people who can actually make a difference . We 're trying our hardest , but clearly it 's not helping . So we are asking for America 's help . ''
More than 1,000 activists gather outside White House to call for action . The group is calling on President Barack Obama and Congress to pass a law that would allow the government to seize assets of suspected terrorists without trial. ` If they ( U.S. officials ) do n't interfere , there will be civil war , '' an activist leader says .