Protests and general strike occur at Turkish Cypriot legislature

On Monday, thousands of demonstrators and public sector workers conducted a general strike to protest the Turkish Cypriot ruling coalition's decision to freeze cost-of-living allowance payments until next year. Protesters converged on the legislature in northern Nicosia from multiple directions, eventually breaking through riot barriers at the complex's eastern entrance. A standoff and physical altercation occurred between demonstrators and police, involving thrown objects and minor injuries on both sides. Opposition leaders, including CTP leader Sila Usar Incirli, attended the demonstration, while union heads Selma Eylem and Guven Bengihan delivered speeches demanding the government's resignation. Police had deployed extra forces and fire engines in anticipation of the march. While some reports indicated protesters entered the building premises, initial accounts confirm that both a demonstrator and a police officer suffered non-life-threatening injuries. The demonstration remained concentrated around the legislature throughout the day.