The Jewish Community of Cyprus’s tree-planting event in Larnaca will take place under draconian security measures. This is because a protest event is taking place at the site, following reactions caused by the initial announcement that it would be held in honour of Donald Trump for the release of Israeli hostages.
The announcement caused an uproar since Larnaca Municipality, which granted the relevant permit, had not been informed of this.
The protest event is organised by the Alliance Against the Far Right and various organisations are participating, including the Cyprus Peace Council, whilst AKEL MPs Andreas Pasiourtzidis and Nikos Kettiros are also at the site.
The protesters spread out a red cloth symbolising the blood shed in Gaza. The protesters are chanting slogans such as “Freedom for Palestine” and “Cyprus Palestine Solidarity”.
Police deployed a riot squad and have taken draconian measures at the site. The organisers, meanwhile, fenced off the event area, placing not only Cypriot but also American flags.
It is noted that the initial invitation for the event stated that 48 trees would be planted on Sunday at 11 am in honour of US President Donald Trump, who brought about the release of Israeli hostages and the signing of the peace agreement.
However, in statements, the Larnaca mayor stated that the information we had was that the Jewish Community would proceed with planting 50 trees within the framework of its social and environmental contribution.
After the reactions, the Cyprus Jewish Community apologised, speaking of a misinterpretation of the event’s purpose. The sole purpose of this initiative, according to the Jewish Community’s announcement, was always to honour, commemorate and celebrate the recent signing of the peace agreement.
It was never our intention to introduce any political dimension, to cause annoyance or to convey any message that could be interpreted as divisive, the announcement stated. We apologise for any annoyance or misunderstanding that may have arisen, it added.
