TRNC Parliament roof, after anti-Afrin article

Cyprus with Greece],” he said.

“It must be remembered that there was a Greek coup on July 15, 1974 and that Nicos Sampson had declared a Hellenic republic in Cyprus and had attempted ethnic cleansing here.

“The newspaper has acted in a very provocative manner and touched the nerve of many, perhaps deliberately. This is why we went and protested. This is not an issue of freedom of the press.”

Another protester, Aliye Mehmet, who was born in Larnaca but who now lives in Karaoğlanoğlu, said: “We lived through hell between 1963 and 1974 and struggled to keep our existence and identity.

“Had Turkey not come, there would be no Turkish Cypriots left in Cyprus by now. It was important Turkish Cypriots protested against this newspaper and [Republican Turkish Party MP] Doğuş Derya, who made extremely controversial comments that were very hurtful.

“We are not occupiers, and Turkey is not a warmonger. Shame on them, we condemn them. . . Şener Levent is constantly trying to divide Turkish Cypriots from Turkey with his provocative and somewhat racist stories. Shame on him.”

The angry protesters then turned their attentions to Parliament, where Ms Derya was among 50 MPs being sworn in following the general election three weeks ago. She had been targeted by the group because of criticisms of the Turkish government she made on social media.

“Those in power who thrive on blood are not capable of making peace — no to war,” she had written.

Riot police were called in as a precaution and some of the protesters entered the public gallery, from where they heckled Ms Derya as she read out her oath.

The TRNC representative of Turkey’s governing AK Party, Mehmet Demirci, said Afrika had “passed the line of criticism”, and “did not reflect the feelings of the Turkish Cypriot people”.

He claimed it owed its existence to financial help from “outsiders”.

There was further tension in the area later in the day when police had to keep back counterdemonstrators, who chanted “Peace cannot be prevented in Cyprus” and “Standing shoulder to shoulder against fascism”.

Opposing demonstrators, standing just 100 metres away, replied with shouts of “We will die for our homeland” and “Cyprus is Turkish and will remain Turkish”.

Rebirth Party leader Erhan Arıklı and MP Bertan Zaroğlu with angry protestors who later turned their attention to Parliament. Right, Grey Wolf head Fetih Ancı making a public statement.

Angry protesters come face to face with police officers. Below, demonstrators wave Turkish and TRNC flags.

Left, two protesters waving a blue Ottoman flag and two Turkish flags after managing to climb onto the roof of the Parliament building. Right, a man climbs up a flagpole and enters a balcony where he tears down a sign featuring the newspaper’s former...

A protester throwing a stone at the Afrika building