AKROTIRI BASE, Cyprus, July 4 (Reuters) -- Violent protests at British military bases on the Mediterranean island of Cyprus spread late on Tuesday as demonstrators pelted soldiers with sticks and stones over the arrest of a local member of parliament.
Troops in riot gear faced an angry crowd of Greek Cypriots at the western base of Akrotiri as a row grew over the erection of huge telecommunications masts.
Earlier, Greek Cypriots burst into a British police station at a military compound on the south of the island, demanding the release of the member of parliament, who had been arrested for trying to break into Akrotiri RAF base.
MP Marios Matsakis has led protests against British plans to erect controversial communications masts in the Sovereign Base Areas, administered by Britain since independence in 1960, on grounds that the masts pose a health hazard.
He was detained by British policemen after being caught trying to break into the fenced compound of RAF Akrotiri but was later released. He refused to speak to journalists.
Sigma TV reported that about 1,000 local people had gathered outside the Episkopi base police station in southern Cyprus and burst through the gates, forcing police to lock themselves in the building.
At least one person was injured in a volley of stone-throwing and some protesters were armed with sticks, the station reported. Witnesses said some cars had been set on fire and brush fires had been started.
One woman was carried out of the compound after being hit with a fire extinguisher. There was no word of her condition.
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