Second night of protests passes peacefully

PROTESTS outside the presidential palace continued last night, for a second day, running, with well over 1,000 people demanding the government step down. The feeling of exasperation permeated the crowd which took over the English school roundabout closing off three roads leading to the palace.

The megaphone was offered to anyone with an opinion though the common position for all was for President Demetris Christofias to go.

Chanting slogans, the protesters called for attorney general Petros Clerides to send Christofias to jail. The crowd remained peaceful though the sense of genuine anger was clearly evident, characterised by a non-partisan sentiment.

One man who took the megaphone, won loud applause when he said “after 37 years we remain under occupation by both Turkey and the political establishment.”

The crowd cheered when another protester said this was not about left or right, it is about unity. “They tell the government to step down but then give power to who?” said the protester.

One lady riled up the crowd when she pointed out that for three days Christofias was nowhere to be seen. The protesters proceeded to chant for Christofias’ exile to Syria.

The crowd ended the protest facing the presidential palace and singing the national anthem. They promised to return again tonight at 8pm and every other night. The Cyprus Mail asked a group of young men whether they would come again, they replied “of course you can be sure of it, the will is there, we want those responsible to take up that responsibility.” “What they’ve done is unthinkable, illogical.” The crowd dispersed quietly.

Police presence was much more unobtrusive while the crowd of indignant citizens remained peaceful.

The Cyprus Mail is the only English-language daily newspaper published in Cyprus. It was established in 1945 and today, with its popular and widely-read website, the Cyprus Mail is among the most trusted news sites in Cyprus. The newspaper is not affiliated with any political parties and has always striven to maintain its independence. Over the past 70-plus years, the Cyprus Mail, with a small dedicated team, has covered momentous events in Cyprus’ modern history, chronicling the last gasps of British colonial rule, Cyprus’ truncated independence, the coup and Turkish invasion, and the decades of negotiations to stitch the divided island back together, plus a myriad of scandals, murders, and human interests stories that capture the island and its -people. Observers describe it as politically conservative.