More than 100 students at a Larnaca secondary school belong to a “Nazi organisation” that has sent members to Greece for training with extremist groups, the head of Cyprus’s parents’ confederation warned on Friday.
Loizos Konstantinou, president of the Confederation of Secondary Education Parents’ Associations, said the group at Vergina Lyceum has operated for two years, creating what he called a “climate of terrorism” amongst other pupils whilst school authorities left swastikas on walls for months.
“The number of the group is in the three digits,” Konstantinou told state television, revealing that specific students “visited Greece, they didn’t go on holiday, they went to a specific place. So it means there is a centre outside Cyprus.”
The disclosure escalates a controversy over students photographed giving Nazi salutes, allegedly proselytising others to their organisation, and vandalising the school with swastikas.
Stones thrown at students condemning pseudo-state
Parents have lodged complaints stating the activity spans two years and has created an intimidation climate at the school. Members of the “Nazi organisation” were recently involved in an incident at Phinikoudes, where stones were thrown at students holding an event condemning the pseudo-state, according to complaints.
The revelations raise questions about measures that should have been taken long ago by both school administration and the Ministry of Education, whose officials initially tried to downplay the issue.
“They have penetrated into school, they have organised. A climate of terrorism also prevails among other children,” Konstantinou said. “Many times we say some things, children superficially, here it’s not like that, it’s something else more advanced.”
“Not simply superficiality”
The parents’ leader described the activity as dangerous, noting that some students travelled abroad and contacted extremist organisations. “Not simply superficiality, at least from some within the group. That’s why we must handle it with particular care.”
Asked whether he was referring to ELAM when mentioning “the existence of a snake”, Konstantinou said no. “When the children specifically had a visit abroad they didn’t go to a specific party or the aforementioned party. We say that the phenomenon of neo-Nazism is intense in Europe and there are tentacles.”
He said the visits happened recently and possibly on other occasions too.
“Such actions, such behaviours, such perceptions have no place in our schools and I say directly also in our society,” Konstantinou said. “Fascism, Nazism has bloodied not only all of Europe, the entire world and the wounds are still open.”
He noted that 35,000 Cypriots fought for the Republic, with fallen buried at 57 sites outside Cyprus. “These perceptions are dangerous.”
Swastikas left on walls for months
Konstantinou accused the school of negligence. “When you see the swastika on the school wall and leave it there for two, three months. What is that? The simplest thing the next day should have disappeared in a few minutes.”
He said students entering the school saw slogans, describing it as looking “like you’re entering the neo-Nazi lair”.
The school knew which children were involved and could easily provide details in minutes, he said. The group has been expanding over the past two years, with the Ministry holding further evidence.
“We have become very concerned. For this reason we contacted the Ministry and procedures are proceeding with investigations and today there will be further development,” Konstantinou said.
“Maybe we have the snake in Cyprus”
Most parents contacted showed ignorance and surprise about their children’s position and participation, he said. But he warned the phenomenon extends beyond one school.
“Instead of talking about the serpent’s egg that might hatch, and at the end of the day, the snake will emerge. Maybe the serpent is already in Cyprus, which ultimately lays eggs for more little snakes to emerge,” he said.
The specific group operating for two years is one issue, Konstantinou said, but the broader handling is another. “We must speak with all the children, it’s the responsibility of the school and the Ministry.”
He said family bears primary responsibility, noting the family fabric has loosened regarding children. But the Ministry and school also bear responsibility through education.
“We will have a meeting at the Ministry, our first topic is this specific one,” he said. “The handling concerning the specific case and the group is one thing. The broader handling is another.”
He stressed that society’s problems from outside are recorded and identified within schools, where some opportunists exploit the mass presence of students to recruit. “The school has tremendous responsibility, because that’s where identification happens and that’s where management must happen.”
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