Nicosia: United for Palestine Nicosia organized a peaceful protest on Monday outside the US Embassy in the Cypriot capital, coinciding with the inauguration of Donald Trump as the 47th President of the United States.
According to Cyprus News Agency, the protest aimed to challenge the continuation of US foreign policies under the Trump administration, particularly their role in the Middle East and their implications for Cyprus.
Protesters highlighted the ongoing violence in Palestine, noting that despite significant influence to curb the actions of the Israeli military, the US continues to support aggressive policies, exacerbating instability in the region. The new administration, which includes pro-Israeli hardliners, further aligns itself with militarized actions.
Participants also voiced concerns about the Cypriot government’s celebration of its inclusion in three US military agreements, warning that such alliances could entangle Cyprus in potential regional conflicts. They cautioned that a generalized war in the Middle East could place Cyprus directly in harm’s way.
Demonstrators carried banners with messages such as ‘Hands off Palestine,’ ‘End U.S. Involvement in the Middle East,’ and ‘Stop Using Cyprus as a Launch Pad for Wars in the Region.’
Speaking to the Cyprus News Agency on behalf of the organizers, Marcos Economou explained that the protest was intentionally scheduled on Trump’s inauguration day and Martin Luther King Day, highlighting the irony of Trump’s leadership, which he described as having a racist and misogynistic stance.
Economou further expressed skepticism about the new administration’s foreign policy, suggesting that the Trump administration is likely to follow a similar approach to its predecessor’s in the region.