Newsroom
A large group of motorcyclists gathered at the Agios Dometios checkpoint early this week, symbolically blocking the road leading to the occupied areas of Cyprus. The peaceful protest aimed to draw attention to ongoing tensions surrounding the island’s divided status.
However, the demonstration quickly became a flashpoint online after a Turkish journalist, known for inflammatory comments and controversy over a fake degree scandal, posted a video of the event on social media. Instead of addressing the protesters’ message, he labeled them a “fascist motorized group” without mentioning the protest’s purpose.
In his post, Sefa Karahasan accused the Greek Cypriot police of allowing the group to shout slogans against Turkey and the self-declared Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), a regime not internationally recognized and considered illegal by the Republic of Cyprus. He claimed the motorcyclists’ actions caused traffic jams stretching for kilometers at the checkpoint.
The video showed motorcyclists arriving at the roadblock, with police officers standing by but no visible intervention or confrontation taking place. Despite the peaceful nature of the protest, Karahasan’s post was widely shared and echoed by other Turkish social media accounts, intensifying the ongoing propaganda battle around Cyprus’s divided status.
The motorcyclists’ protest is part of a wider ongoing expression of frustration over the political deadlock and territorial disputes that have kept the island divided for decades. While the demonstration itself was calm, the online reaction highlights how deeply sensitive and polarized the Cyprus issue remains.
The police have not commented on the protest or the social media controversy, while local observers say such actions aim to keep attention on the unresolved conflict and the desire for a united Cyprus. Meanwhile, social media continues to be a battleground for competing narratives, often overshadowing the realities on the ground.
Güney Kıbrıs'ta faşist bir motorlu grup; geçiş kapıları kapatan eylemler yaptı.
— Dr. Sefa Karahasan (@sefakarahasan) August 8, 2025
Kuzey Kıbrıs'tan güney Kıbrıs'a geçiş engellendi.
Türkiye ve KKTC aleyhine sloganlar atan gruba Rum polisi müdahale etmedi.
Sınır kapılarında trafik yoğunluğu km'lerce uzadı. pic.twitter.com/20cSxKHtV1
