Turkish Cypriots protested Waltham Forest Council leader Grace Williams, who ordered the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) flag, which they had agreed to raise at the City Hall after complaints were made by members from the Greeks Cypriot Community.
Gathered in front of the Waltham Forest City Hall in East London, with their TRNC and Turkish flags, chanting slogans saying “We want justice”, “Hands off our flag, get rid of our identity”, ” We exist. We are Turkish Cypriots” and “No to racism”.
The protest comes after the council had agreed and approved to raise the TRNC flag on November 15, for the occasion of the 38th anniversary of the TRNC’s founding celebrating its Turkish Cypriots residence’s heritage.
However, this was short-lived as the Labour leader ordered the flag to be brought down within just a few hours of its being raised and issued a statement saying: “Waltham Forest Council apologises for the offence caused by the raising of the flag of Northern Cyprus which has now been removed. We accept this remains a disputed territory not recognised by the UK Government and will not be raising it in future.”
Saying: “…Our intention is to celebrate our communities, not cause division, and apologise for the offence caused.”
The reaction from Williams led to an outcry from members within the Turkish Cypriots Community and residents.
In a council meeting held on Thursday 9 December, during which the issue was raised. The council allowed one member of the public to speak at the meeting local resident and leader of the Turkish Cypriot Youth and Family Association Nafiya Horozoğlu was selected out of those who applied.
Horozoğlu said, “Why do you discriminate against people of my ethnic origin? Why does our presence bother you? Wouldn’t all Britons be offended if I took down the British flag after raising it?”.
Saying, “You have openly discriminated against the Turkish Cypriots by lowering our flag, which is the symbol of our ethnic identity,”
“We are here, and we will not go anywhere!” she stated made the emphasis.
Horozoğlu also called for “Williams’ immediate resignation, raising our flag again, and an apology from Waltham Forest Council.”
In reply, Williams said, “I acknowledge the sadness this has caused in our entire society. And how sensitive and important this is for our entire society. I did not take the decision to lower the flag lightly and this was not a comment on the situation in Northern Cyprus. I made the decision based on my view that public spaces should be used by all and for the benefit of all. That’s why I’m very clear that in the future flags of territories not recognized by the UK will not be hung.”
However, Williams’s statement was not welcomed by protestors outside, CTCA UK chair Ayşe Osman said, “As Turkish Cypriots, we saw England as a place where we took refuge from persecution, discrimination and racism, but as we can see, these still continue in Waltham Forest.”
