A pro-Palestinian protest was held on Saturday in central Nicosia in support of Palestine, organised by the group ‘United for Palestine – Cyprus’. Around 400 people gathered in Eleftheria square at 16:00 pm.
Following a series of brief speeches, people marched in the central roads of the city, chanting ‘Free, free Palestine’, ‘Stop the genocide’, and ‘from river to the sea’, calling for an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza strip.
Heavy police forces were present throughout the protest.
Numerous pro-Palestinian protests have been held in Cyprus in the past few weeks, calling for an immediate ceasefire.
The ongoing war between Israel and Hamas has left at least 10,000 Palestinians and 1,200 Israelis dead, with many more displaced.
Protests in support of Israel have also been held by Israeli nationals and the Jewish community of Cyprus, highlighting the victims of the attack instigated by Hamas in southern Israel on October 7, and calling for the release of all hostages currently held by Hamas in Gaza.
A representative of ‘United for Palestine – Cyprus’ told in-cyprus that “The scale of barbarism happening in Gaza is beyond belief. What we are seeing is a second Nakba, over 11,000 people are dead. Almost half of them are children who will never see a future”.
He further criticised the ongoing military aid and diplomatic support provided to Israel by the US, the UK and other European countries, while noting the broader wave of protests held abroad in support of Palestinians.
“Wherever we are, we have to struggle for a free Palestine, in our streets, our work spaces and our communities”, he concluded.
(Photos by Antonia Maria Nicolaides)
