Newsroom
Protesters in Cyprus say they will file formal complaints against the police after officers used pepper spray to disperse a demonstration outside the Foreign Ministry on Thursday.
The rally, organized by the group Global Movement for Gaza Cyprus, was held in response to Israel’s interception of a flotilla carrying humanitarian aid to Gaza. Organizers say the gathering was peaceful until riot police moved in, spraying demonstrators, including former minister and ex-MEP Neoklis Sylikiotis, with chemicals that burned their eyes and skin.
“This was an unprovoked attack,” said Korina Demetriou, a spokesperson for the group. She added that under Cypriot law, extraordinary protests do not require advance approval when triggered by extraordinary events.
The group claims police went too far, calling their actions “a serious abuse of power” and accusing officers of endangering children, elderly people, and even their own colleagues. Some traffic officers, protesters said, were also hit by the spray and admitted as much when demonstrators asked for help.
Police paint a different picture. In a statement Friday, the force said roughly 200 people had blocked traffic on a busy road outside the ministry and refused repeated requests to move to the sidewalk. Officers said reinforcements were called only after protesters resisted attempts to clear the area.
“Our members intervened using appropriate force and personal spray, since in the attempt to repel the participants, they were pushed and resisted,” the statement read. The police acknowledged the protest was spontaneous but argued a point of contact should have been designated to help coordinate.
The standoff has reignited debate over Cyprus’s new law on demonstrations, which will be discussed in parliament’s Human Rights Committee next week. Critics say the law is too restrictive and gives police wide leeway to crack down.
Protesters remain skeptical that their complaints to the Independent Police Complaints Authority will go anywhere. “We’ve filed before and never received answers,” said Demetriou. Still, she said the group would push ahead. “Institutions must be held accountable, otherwise they become meaningless.”
Police union official Nikos Loizides defended the officers, insisting safety was the only concern. He urged anyone who felt mistreated to submit a written complaint.
By late Friday, neither the justice minister nor the police directorate had responded to requests for comment.
*With information from CNA
