Petrakis Giallouros (August 29, 1938 – February 7, 1956)

Petrakis Giallouros (August 29, 1938 – February 7, 1956)

Born in Rizorkarpaso on the North-Eastern tip of Cyprus, he was the first student killed by the British colonial occupiers, during the EOKA Struggle (1955-59).

Petrakis was a student leader at the High School of Famagusta and led multiple student demonstrations against the British colonial occupiers of Cyprus. The Greeks of Cyprus wanted freedom, self-determination and Enosis with the motherland Greece.

On February 7 1956, British soldiers indiscriminately opened fire on the students protesting, killing Petrakis. Riots followed over the next few days, while EOKA fighters took revenge attacking several British occupied positions in Cyprus, killing a number of British colonial personnel.

A monument of Petrakis Giallouros was erected and stood in Rizorkapaso, only for it to be destroyed by the barbarian Turks after the Turkish Invasion of Cyprus in 1974.

Petrakis’ final words were – “Πεθαίνω, φέρτε γιατρό. Ζήτω η Ένωσις”.