Hundreds Of Peace Protesters Rally Outside British Base In Cyprus

Hundreds of peace activists protested on Sunday near the British military base of Akrotiri in Cyprus, demanding its closure, arguing that it fuels regional conflicts in Gaza and Yemen.

The protesters called for the closure of the base, which has been under British sovereignty since the island's independence in 1960. 

They held a sign demanding an "immediate ceasefire" in Gaza, due to the ongoing war since October 7, 2023, while another called for "an end to funding genocide."

British reports published online point to British and American military flights departing from Akrotiri to Tel Aviv, which suggest they are carrying military supplies to Israel. 

A spokesperson for the British Ministry of Defense said that "British forces in Cyprus continue to assist in delivering humanitarian aid to Gaza, and no Royal Air Force flights have carried any lethal shipments to Israel."

The spokesperson explained that a British Navy ship "with the support of British forces in Cyprus, delivered 87 tons of British and Cypriot aid to Egypt for the residents of Gaza."

Police formed a human barrier between the protesters and the entrances to Akrotiri base, which is British territory located near the city of Limassol on the southern coast of the island.

Tasos Kostias, chairman of the Cyprus Peace Council, who participated in the demonstration, said that "Cyprus is a living example that military bases do not solve problems, do not provide stability and security, but rather fuel militarization and perpetuate tension."

The march was organized by the Cyprus Peace Council, with the support of the leftist opposition party AKEL, the group "United for Palestine," and other leftist groups.

Liandros Fisher, a professor at the University of Cyprus and an activist with the group "United for Palestine," said that the base was also used in recent US and British airstrikes in Yemen. 

Fisher added that the protesters expressed their "opposition to the presence of British bases on Cypriot soil," stressing that these bases make the island a "potential target."

Vera Polycarpou, head of foreign relations for the AKEL party, said: "We are protesting against the use of the bases against the people of the region, and against the presence of bases in Cyprus. We want them to be dismantled."