In Nicosia, a banner appeared on one of the bridges with the inscription “White Lives Matter” (“White lives matter”) and an image of a Celtic cross, a symbol widely used by modern neo—Nazi and far-right movements.

According to experts, the Celtic (or solar) cross is considered one of the most widespread symbols of the international neo-Nazi movement. Due to its ambiguous interpretation, it is often used to circumvent legal restrictions, while remaining a recognizable sign among representatives of ultra-right groups.

The slogan “White Lives Matter” itself is seen as an offshoot of the rhetoric that emerged after the Black Lives Matter movement, and, according to researchers, is used by far-right organizations to promote the idea of alleged discrimination against the white population.

Georgios Venizelos, Associate Professor of the Department of Communications and Marketing at Cyprus University of Technology, believes that such manifestations do not occur by chance.

According to him, the strengthening of the far-right and Christian-Conservative movements became possible due to a combination of local social factors and the influence of international networks spreading similar ideology.

The expert notes that there has already been a public mood in Cyprus based on distrust of migrants and foreigners. In his opinion, the widespread racism in society has created a favorable environment, and the Internet and global far-right movements have provided it with new symbols, language and tools to spread.

A source: politis.com.cy

https://cyprusbutterfly.com.cy/news/nikosii-neizvestnyie-vyivesili-rasistskij-banner