NICOSIA (Reuters) - Thousands of Cypriots protesting against coronavirus restrictions and corruption held a peaceful march on Saturday in defiance of a ban on gatherings.<\/p>\n
The event, held following a violent crackdown by police of a previous protest which triggered widespread criticism last week, saw marchers holding flowers and banners parade through a central thoroughfare in the capital Nicosia to the islands parliament.<\/p>\n
Protesters wearing face masks were observed at a distance by police.<\/p>\n
Cyprus, which has fared better than most countries in handling the pandemic, has been in and out of lockdown for about a year. However, disclosures of perceived corruption from a passport-for-investment scheme has fueled public discontent.<\/p>\n
I feel like my future is just hanging by a thread. There are no jobs, but those governing and their buddies are getting rich, said one protester identified only as Ioanna, 24.<\/p>\n
A smaller protest held on Feb. 13 was met with a heavy-handed response by police, who clashed with demonstrators and deployed water cannon. The incident triggered a police inquiry and admissions by the islands justice minister that some scenes showed a disproportionate reaction.<\/p>\n
On Saturday, the water cannon was kept at a distance, parked about two kilometres away within the medieval walls of the capital Nicosia.<\/p>\n
The passport scheme was abruptly pulled by authorities last year after the Al Jazeera news network showed individuals allegedly willing to facilitate citizenship for a fictitious investor with a criminal record, and which they subsequently denied. The scheme is also being probed by an independent board of inquiry.<\/p>\n
Down with the Junta of the Partitionist, read one banner, with the word partitionist a play on the name of President Nicos Anastasiades, referring to the ethnic division of the island populated by Greek and Turkish Cypriots.<\/p>\n
Reporting By Michele Kambas; Editing by Mike Harrison<\/p>\n
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Cypriots defy ban to protest again over corruption, coronavirus curbs - Reuters<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" NICOSIA (Reuters) - Thousands of Cypriots protesting against coronavirus restrictions and corruption held a peaceful march on Saturday in defiance of a ban on gatherings. The event, held following a violent crackdown by police of a previous protest which triggered widespread criticism last week, saw marchers holding flowers and banners parade through a central thoroughfare in the capital Nicosia to the islands parliament. Continue reading