November 17, 1955
CYPRIOT SCHOOLCHILDREN’S UPRISING: Nicosia, 16 – While in London, British Secretary of State for the Colonies Alan Lennox-Boyd confirmed his government’s intransigence on the Cyprus issue, in Cyprus there was widespread upheaval today over the closure of the Samouil Commercial School and the British threats to take measures against the Greek education system. Serious incidents took place in every town on the island, in many places developing into open clashes between pupils and police. On the Paphos estate, about 1,000 schoolchildren decided to protest against the closure of the Samouil School, the death sentence against Michail Karaolis, and the remand of schoolboy Michail Iliadis. After ringing the bell in the Aghios Theodoros Cathedral, they then marched to Eleftheria Square where the police headquarters is situated. The march was led by schoolgirls bearing the Greek flag. In the square they were met by police officers, whom they began to pelt with stones, injuring Irish officer Fred Gallagher. A Turkish police officer struck the leader of the march, 16-year-old schoolgirl Koula Hadzipaschali, on the head with his club.
