Türkiye voices support for TRNC president after incident during protest in London

By Anadolu Staff

ANKARA (AA) — Türkiye expressed support for the president of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) on Wednesday after Greek Cypriot protesters attempted to block his vehicle in London.

Turkish Vice President Fuat Oktay spoke to the TRNC's Ersin Tatar, conveying a message of support "on behalf of our President (Recep Tayyip Erdogan), our nation and myself."

Oktay condemned the incident and said Türkiye would always stand by president of the TRNC in every respect.

Earlier, a group of about 50 protesters attmpted to prevent Tatar's entry into King's College, where he was to attend a conference on the Cyprus issue, according to the TRNC Presidency.

The protesters were carrying Greek flags and banners against Tatar and Turkish Cypriots.

British and Turkish security guards in front of the university building dispersed the crowd, enabling Tatar's passage. The president later left the university after the event.

In a television appearance on Turkish media after the incident, Tatar said the protesters would have attacked him had no police been presence at the university's entryway.

"They can't tolerate it," he said, underlining that the reason behind the protest was the media coverage of his contacts with journalists and lawmakers in the UK, as well as his speeches.

"They don't even want to let our voices be heard. Because when our voice is heard, they see that it will be accepted, they see that it will become stronger," he said.