The conservative Democratic Rally (DISY) has issued a condemnation of Nazi gestures made by students at a secondary school in Larnaca, describing the incident as an “extremely worrying and dangerous phenomenon” that cannot be dismissed as a minor event.
In an official communiqué released on Thursday, 18 December, the party argued that such actions directly assault democratic values, human rights, and the fundamental pedagogical mission of the educational system. The statement comes as a viral photograph depicting students at the Vergina Lyceum in Larnaca performing the salute sparked a firestorm of criticism across social media.
Questions over institutional response
DISY has formally called upon the Ministry of Education, Sport and Youth to clarify its intended course of action to prevent a recurrence of such extremism.
“Ideologies of hate, violence, and extremism have no place in our schools or our society,” the party stated, urging relevant authorities to treat the matter with the utmost seriousness.
The Ministry of Education had previously emphasised its commitment to Holocaust education, noting in January 2025 that such learning acts as a critical “barrier against prejudice and hatred.” However, critics and political parties, including AKEL, have historically accused the ministry of maintaining a “tolerance” toward ultra-right infiltration in secondary education.
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