Protest over Limassol fire failures attracts hundreds

Hundreds, perhaps thousands, of people held a demonstration in Limassol on Thursday evening, demanding accountability and protesting the government’s perceived inaction during last week’s deadly fires that swept through mountainous areas of the district.

The demo began at 6.30pm in the Molos seafront area, with participants marching to the city’s old harbour chanting slogans.

No incidents were reported. Police equipped with riot gear escorted the demonstrators.

The action had been organised via social media by 22-year-old university student Sofia Pericleous.

Speaking to the gathered crowd, a tearful Pericleous described what many people went through last week.

“I saw people sacrifice their payday, losing themselves in the fires and fighting the fires in the mountains,” she said.

“I saw them offering medicine, clothes, food, water, I saw them give shelter to others, console them, I saw them love their country. And in the end they understood that…this is Cyprus.”

Demonstrators also called for substantive safeguards to avoid a repeat of the disaster, where 120 square kilometers were incinerated and scores of residences gutted by the fires. Two people, an elderly couple, were burned alive in their car.

Earlier, authorities confirmed the protests would be monitored by members of the Limassol police directorate and the special anti-terrorist squad (MMAD).

A police statement released earlier in the day said officers will be on site to ensure public safety, facilitate movement and maintain traffic flow.

All participants were urged to follow police instructions and comply with the 2025 law on public gatherings and parades. Under this law, organisers must ensure protests remain peaceful and coordinate in advance with local authorities and the police.

The police stressed that the law gives officers the power to impose restrictions or even disperse gatherings if they are no longer peaceful, violate agreed conditions, pose a risk of harm to people, or threaten public or private property. These powers also apply to spontaneous or emergency demonstrations that fail to meet legal requirements.

The law also states that if police have reasonable grounds to believe a protest may turn violent, particularly if individuals conceal their identities or plan illegal acts, they can order those individuals to remove anything that hides their face or identity.

“Of course we will attend the protest, we can only hope for a peaceful and civilised protest, we do not have the mental capacity for anything more,” a St Therapon representative had told the Cyprus Mail.