Police were mystery ‘thieves’ of photos

POLICE removed an entire anti-racism photographic exhibition from Eleftheria Square to protect it from vandals after several of the photos were mysteriously ripped up.

But officers neglected to inform organisers of the exhibition that they had removed the pictures, some of which depicted immigrants being taken away in handcuffs by police.

This led organisers to believe the exhibition had been stolen.

The exhibition, part of a ten-day series of anti-racism events organised by the Immigrant Support Action Group (ISAG), was marred by the removal of the photographs from the top of Ledra and Onasagorou Streets.

ISAG representative Anthoulla Papadopoulou said the exhibition was taken away between Wednesday night and yesterday morning.

Earlier, according to Papadopoulou, only hours after the exhibition opened, several of the photographs, taken by well-known local photojournalist Andreas Manolis, had been ripped up and thrown on the ground.

“We found them like that,” Papadopoulou said. “Then all the photos were suddenly gone, and the banner as well.”

Papadopoulou said ISAG members had spent all day yesterday trying to discover where the photos had gone, believing them to have been stolen.

“Then we found out the police had taken the entire exhibition away without even letting us know,” she said.

Earlier yesterday before knowing the fate of the photos, Papadopoulou called their disappearance a “deplorable action by whoever it was”.

The photographic exhibition will be back in its original position today, Papadopoulou said, adding that it would also be on show at the Municipal Park on Sunday as part of ISAG’s events.

The ten-day series of events opened last weekend with discussions and workshops aimed at pinpointing areas in which Cyprus needed to improve its policies towards immigrant workers.

The newly-formed ISAG, a voluntary organisation, hopes concrete measures will result, including changes in the law.

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