Outraged protestors called for Waltham Forest Council’s leader to resign last night over a decision to take down a flag outside the town hall last month.

Around one hundred Turkish Cypriots gathered, waving flags and chanting “Grace Williams out!” during the full council meeting.

Protestors were upset by the council’s decision to take their flag down and apologise “for the offence caused”, hours after it had been raised at the square on November 15.

The council has overseen the raising of flags from various communities and countries in recent years, including the disputed Tibetan flag and the LGBTQ rainbow.

Speaking in the council chamber, Turkish Cypriot Community Association member Nafiya Horozoglu told councillors her community felt “relegated to second and third class citizens”.

She said: “We raised our flag, one of the few things that is a symbol of our ethnic identity, and to have it torn down again clearly discriminates against Turkish Cypriots. This is, in my opinion, racism and discrimination.

“We exist, you have not apologised to us and your letter apologises to other communities because we offend them. Why do you have the authority to decide that Waltham Forest will exclude Turkish Cypriots?”

She added that the community is demanding the flag be raised for a whole day before the end of December.

Cllr Williams said: “I recognise the upset this has caused in the whole community and appreciate how sensitive it is to the whole community.

“My decision to lower the flag was not taken easily and was not a commentary on Northern Cyprus.

“The space has to be for everyone, therefore in the future I have decided that no flag will be raised if is not recognised by the British government. This decision is without discrimination against the community the flag is from.

“My apology is not to part of the community but to the whole community for the offence caused.”

Outside the meeting, protest organiser Fahri Zihni said his community will be “stepping up” their efforts and are considering legal action.

He added: “They could further clarify their situation by saying ‘this is nothing to do with recognising the republic, this is to do with identity and recognising that by putting the flag up’. 

“Somebody finding that offensive is not a sufficient reason for taking it down. If you look at, for example, LGBTQ flag, then maybe somebody would feel bad about that, but we’re not going to bring that down, that’s madness. 

“The law is on our side and I think the moral case is on our side.”