Tension and scuffles broke out on Thursday evening outside the Foreign Ministry in Nicosia during a demonstration calling for solidarity with Palestinians and the release of the Global Sumud Flotilla. Protesters allege that members of MMAD, the police rapid response unit, charged the crowd and used pepper spray, causing injuries. Footage circulating online appears to show officers pushing protesters, while participants reported chaotic moments as the rally spilled onto the road.
Claims of injuries, including a journalist
According to complaints from attendees, those struck included a woman journalist from the newspaper Haravgi. Organisers said several people required assistance after exposure to pepper spray. Dozens of citizens had gathered, chanting and holding banners in support of Gaza and the detained flotilla crew.
A Press Officer for the Cyprus Police Headquarters said to CNA on Thursday night that the force’s role at the protest site focused on managing traffic. “There was policing for safety reasons; at some point protesters entered the road, blocking one lane, and the Police closed the second lane as well for the safety of the protesters and other road users,” the spokesperson said. According to the police, the road was reopened at around 8:00 p.m., though officers remained in the area as a small number of demonstrators stayed on.
“Tear gas like a fountain”
Andrianos Charalambous, one of the protesters, described scenes of “unprovoked violence” in an interview with Politis Radio. He said around 150 people had gathered on the pavement when officers told them to move into the road due to crowding. “We ended up occupying both lanes,” he explained, adding that confusion followed after a speech ended and people began applauding and preparing to leave.
“The situation escalated quickly,” Charalambous said. “Patrol cars arrived, about 30 heavily armed officers got out, spoke to two organisers, then gave a signal and the attack began.” He claimed he was struck on the hand with a baton, leaving him unable to use it. “There was a lot of pushing with shields and tear gas sprayed like a fountain, hitting anyone in its path,” he said.
Police deny tear gas and injuries
Police spokesperson Kyriaki Lambrianidou defended the officers’ actions, insisting they had struggled to identify an organiser to coordinate with. She said protesters acted on their own when they blocked the road and that police did not instruct them to enter it.
She rejected accusations of excessive force, saying the police did not stage a “show of strength” but sought to clear the road and return demonstrators to the pavement. Addressing allegations of injuries and tear gas use, she was categorical: “There was no use of tear gas and no injuries.”
However, Lambrianidou acknowledged she had not seen all the circulating videos. “There is legislation, and rules must be respected,” she said, concluding that the operation was carried out within the bounds of the law.
Activists demand release of Sumud crew
In a statement, the Global Movement for Gaza Cyprus demanded the immediate release of the Global Sumud Flotilla crew, which it says is being “illegally detained” by Israel, and called for an end to the ongoing blockade and humanitarian crisis in Gaza. “By detaining the crew of the Global Sumud Flotilla and obstructing humanitarian aid, Israel is violating these obligations, and governments that remain silent are complicit,” the movement said.
The Sumud flotilla set out with the stated aim of breaking the blockade by sea and delivering assistance to Gaza. Its interception and the detention of crew members have drawn condemnation from pro-Palestinian groups and sparked protests, including Thursday’s demonstration outside the Foreign Ministry.