Chants of “British bases out” have echoed through Limassol in recent days as a drone strike on RAF Akrotiri fuels a growing movement to remove the UK military presence from the island.
The protests broke out after a suspected Iranian-made drone hit the airfield on Sunday night, following the start of US and Israeli attacks on Iran. Al Jazeera reports that Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s decision to allow the US to use the bases for “defensive strikes” has intensified local anger.
Melanie Steliou Nicolaou, an actress and TV presenter living near the base, told Al Jazeera that the sovereign base areas are a “remnant of the colonial and imperialist empire.” She argued that Cyprus was never truly decolonised and remains a launchpad for Middle Eastern conflicts.
As Al Jazeera says, the bases at Akrotiri and Dhekelia differ from those in the Gulf because they are permanent British-controlled territories rather than leased land. This arrangement provides “no advantage” to Cypriots, according to Nico, an activist with the AFOA group. He told Al Jazeera the bases effectively treat the island like an “unsinkable aircraft carrier” for foreign military campaigns.
The security risk to the local population has become the central flashpoint of the debate. Nicolaou told Al Jazeera that the UK’s decision to update its own personnel while providing little information to nearby residents has infuriated locals. She noted that dozens of new people, particularly concerned parents, attended a protest on Monday as they realised the island had become a target.
The impact of the regional escalation is already being felt beyond the military gates. Al Jazeera reports that many flights in and out of Cyprus have been cancelled, threatening the tourism sector which accounts for 14% of the island’s GDP.
When the drone struck on Monday, some residents were so disoriented and scared that they began driving away from areas surrounding the base. Nico told Al Jazeera that while locals sought refuge on the bases during the 1974 invasion, the situation has now reversed, with people fleeing the bases to find safety.
In response to the strike, the UK Ministry of Defence announced it is sending a warship and two Wildcat helicopters to “bolster drone defence.” However, activists remain sceptical. Nico questioned the cost of the escalation, asking Al Jazeera: “All this for what? Just to support the unprovoked attack of the US and Israel on Iran?”
Information taken from AlJazeera.
