A ten-year-old boy stranded in traffic at the Rizoelia roundabout pulled out his saxophone and began practising in the road after realising he would miss his music lesson.
Panagiotis was travelling with his father from Dali to Larnaca for his saxophone lesson when the family’s car was brought to a standstill by the farmers’ blockade. When it became clear there was no prospect of getting through in time, Panagiotis took out his instrument and started playing. He is an artist, after all, he pointed out.
Panagiotis was one of dozens of drivers and passengers stranded at the junction for hours on Thursday afternoon, some of whom abandoned their vehicles and crossed the roundabout on foot. In one earlier instance, a father carrying an infant walked through the area towards Larnaca, apparently having contacted someone to pick them up.
The blockade is part of a protest by livestock farmers over the mass culling of animals ordered to contain the foot-and-mouth disease outbreak. Farmers have fully closed the Rizoelia roundabout in all directions, parking trucks to prevent anyone from leaving. Government consultations with farmer representatives were suspended after fresh closures trapped drivers at the junction, and farmers have threatened to extend their protest to Larnaca airport.
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