Advocacy group Accept-LGBTI Cyprus has condemned the burning of a rainbow flag during an Easter bonfire on Sunday, describing the incident as a “school of hate” that promotes violence and extremism among youth.
The outcry follows the emergence of photographs from the villages of Vergina and Kalo Chorio in the Larnaca district, showing LGBTQ+ flags placed atop traditional “Lambrajia” woodpiles—a spot traditionally reserved for the effigy of Judas.
In a Facebook statement, the organisation said: “When LGBTQ+ flags are burned on bonfires instead of ‘Judas,’ we don’t have a custom; we have training in violence and the fascism of youth.”
The group rejected the notion that such actions are merely “kids playing around,” warning that these individuals are the “voters, parents, police officers, and teachers of tomorrow.” They cautioned that applauding such behaviour today would lead to the democratic election of hate-based policies in the future.
Demands for police action
Accept is calling on the Cyprus Police to move beyond the role of a spectator and strictly apply anti-racism and hate speech legislation. Specifically, the organisation is demanding the immediate removal of such symbols and the issuance of a police circular to local stations.
This proposed directive would instruct officers to prohibit the display of any flags or symbols belonging to specific groups, political parties, or minorities on Easter bonfires.
“Love is not icons and candles inside, and the scorching of flags outside,” the statement continued. “Love is protecting your neighbour as yourself—especially when they are LGBTQ+, a refugee child, a woman, or anyone who becomes a target.”
The organisation concluded by urging citizens to document and report such incidents, stating that if “tradition” cannot accommodate these children, then the problem lies with the tradition itself. “Real Easter is about defeating fear and fanaticism—not burning people ‘by proxy’.”