‘Niko, you can’t hide,’ protestors chanted on pro-Palestine march on Saturday afternoon.

About 200 people gathered in Nicosia’s city centre to protest Israel’s actions in the Middle East and demand that Palestine be freed.

The protest began at 2.30pm in Eleftheria square, from where protestors marched along commercial roads, chanting “Niko, Niko, you can’t hide, you’re supporting genocide”, “Resistance is justified when people are occupied” and “From Cyprus to Palestine, occupation is the crime.”

Speakers at the event protested the relationship between Cyprus and Israel and spoke of “Cyprus’ complicity”.

They said Cyprus had chosen to deepen ties and by purchasing military equipment it was helping to “fund the genocide”.

Speakers added that this was “a violation of international law, as Cyprus is obligated to embargo Israel”.

They furthermore said President Nikos Christodoulides wanted Cyprus to be “a military hub for the region” and that upgrading the naval base was part of this plan.