“Stop the genocide in Palestine,” read signs held by demonstrators at a protest in Larnaca organized by the group “FREE FREE PALESTINE.” Carrying Palestinian flags and banners, people gathered at Finikoudes, expressing their solidarity with the people of Palestine. “A child is burned every minute, and the world is silent,” read another banner. The protest includes people of all ages, including families with their children.
According to the organizers’ representative, the event will begin at Europe Square, on Athens Avenue in Larnaca. After the gathering and speeches, participants will march along Athens Avenue and end at Saint Lazarus Church. The event is expected to last about an hour and a half.
Police measures and the law
There is a strong police presence at the site, and the Police issued a relevant statement earlier. Police officers are on-site to ensure the peaceful conduct of the event, and to facilitate the public and the smooth flow of traffic.
All participants are asked to comply with police instructions.
It should be noted that, based on the Public Gatherings and Parades Law 151(I) of 2025, the organizer of a gathering or parade must ensure its smooth and peaceful conduct, cooperate with the local authority and the Police, and comply with their instructions.
Furthermore, this legislation gives the Police the authority to impose restrictions on a gathering or to disperse it, especially when it ceases to be peaceful, when it is held in violation of imposed restrictions, when there is a risk of personal injury or damage to public or private property, or in the case of a spontaneous gathering that does not comply with imposed restrictions.
Additionally, if there is a reasonable suspicion that a gathering is likely to become non-peaceful due to a person’s actions, or if a person is concealing or altering their features to be unidentifiable, the Police can order them to remove any item that makes them unidentifiable.
