Thirteen people were arrested in Limassol after an anti-immigrant rally descended into violence in the early morning hours.
Young hooded men left behind broken and looted shops belonging to foreigners, burnt cars and injured people who were taken to the hospital for treatment.
Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulidis convened an extraordinary meeting at the Presidential Palace, inviting the Minister of Justice and Public Order, Anna Prokopiou-Koukkidou, the General and Assistant Attorney General, George Savvidis and Savva Angelidis, the Chief and Deputy Chief of Police, Stelios Papatheodorou and Dimitris Dimitriou, and those who were involved in the planning of yesterday's operation to prevent incidents in Limassol.
The incidents began last night during a protest event by Greek Cypriots regarding immigration. Although the police were aware of the event and had taken measures, they could not prevent it, and it spread from the beach to the city centre.
The rioters, wearing hoods and wielding sticks and crowbars, began hunting foreigners and destroying foreign-owned businesses.
Citizens on the streets were evacuated as the situation became dangerous, with Molotov cocktails being thrown and garbage cans being set on fire.
The Chief of Police rushed to Limassol and presided over a meeting with the officers who had taken over the policing, which was insufficient.
According to Proto Thema, the violence was pre-planned by organised fans of football teams who are leading a demonstration of racism. The rioters also attacked journalists shouting slogans such as "Cyprus is Greek", "out the immigrants from Cyprus", "vague ruffian journalists", "f... sons, politicians", etc.
A victim of the attacks and an Asian woman whose convenience store she ran was destroyed. The woman was sitting on the sidewalk outside her damaged store crying, saying she didn't know how to raise her four children.
Incidents in Paphos
A few days ago, incidents also occurred in the village of Chloraka in Paphos, again after a protest event by Greek Cypriots regarding immigration. Syrian immigrant shops were attacked and clashed, as Paphos is home to thousands of immigrants from Asia and Africa.
The police arrested Greek Cypriots and Syrians, who are being brought to justice.
Strong criticism was levelled against the Minister of Justice Anna Prokopiou-Koukkidou and the Chief of Police Stelios Papatheodoros, as they participated in a meeting with foreigners, one of whom was wanted for serious crimes. This is Syros, who, after the meeting at the Paphos police headquarters, was taken to his home in a patrol car instead of being arrested. He even made statements to the media, threatening that foreigners would turn Paphos upside down and enter the homes of Greek Cypriots just as they entered theirs.
Strange abduction
Meanwhile, the police are investigating a case with many gaps and concerns about the " kidnapping" of a Greek Cypriot soldier by a group of Syrians and bullying him. The Syrians also "uploaded" photos on social media. The soldier did not file a complaint with the police, who are wary of the true circumstances of the incident. Two people have been arrested, and inquiries are ongoing.
Photo Source: Photo Kokos