PROTESTORS who have taken part in repeated demonstrations outside the presidential palace since the deadly Mari blast in July yesterday said they would carry on despite a disappointing turn out on Monday night.
“There’s no chance that we’re going to stop the protests, I can’t put it more simply than that,” said Costas Tsangarides, a member of the ‘Indignant’ protestors.
Tsangarides made clear that they will not stop until justice is achieved for the 13 killed in the July 11 naval base blast. On Monday night around 4,000 people gathered to demand justice even though organisers had hoped the number would reach 15,000.
According to another one avid member or the Indignant, Angelos Angelis, the significance of these protests lies in the fact that they have been ongoing for two months and people are still going.
Referring to Monday night’s gathering, Angelis said he did not feel disappointed that numbers did not reach that high, just that he had hoped for more. “I feel like the newspapers got their crowd estimating wrong as there were at least 10,000 there,” he said.
“We’re there every night even if it’s only a crowd of about 50 and then there are the big events that take place on a Monday,” said Angelis.
Protests on Mondays have seen various innovative ideas come to life. Some involved simply march from Eleftheria Square, while others have walked from Mari, a 300km trek, tying purple and white ribbons along the railings of the Presidential Palace representing the 13 victims and the 61 injured respectively.
Angelis said that nothing has been planned for this coming Monday so far but when it is it will be posted on Facebook. “We don’t have a committee so if someone comes up with an idea and it’s original we do it,” he said.
According to Tsangarides, the only way to achieve justice is through three things: President Christofias’ resignation, anyone involved in the “crime” to be brought to justice including the former Foreign Minister Markos Kyprianou and former Defence Minister Costas Papacostas, and the purging of the island’s institutions.
“It was these institutions that in turn led to the blast,” said Tsangarides.
