Policewoman injured in latest football hooliganism incident
A policewoman was injured on Friday night after a metal railing fell on her as police attempted to keep fans of two rival football teams apart after a match on Friday evening. The incident occurred after Aek Larnaca were beaten 3-0 at home by
A policewoman was injured on Friday night after a metal railing fell on her as police attempted to keep fans of two rival football teams apart after a match on Friday evening.
The incident occurred after Aek Larnaca were beaten 3-0 at home by Omonia, with it being reported that around 50 Aek fans attempted to “move threateningly” towards the Omonia fans after the match and tried to push back the metal railings put in place to prevent this from happening.
The policewoman suffered swelling on her face near her right eye and was discharged.
After the disturbance, a 24-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of rioting, concealing his face, assaulting a police officer, and resisting arrest.
The incident comes just 24 hours after violent incidents once again marred the Limassol derby between Ael and Apollon, with one officer having suffered an “acute auditory trauma” and a minor burn to his right hip after an Apollon fan threw a naval flare at him.
The police are treating the incident as an attempted murder.
Later on Thursday evening, it was reported that football hooligans had caused “significant damage” to the Nikos Solomonides basketball arena, which is home to Ael’s basketball team.
The police said a group of men “vandalised the facility, smashing trophy cases, sports equipment, clothing, and other items”.
The two nights of violence are the latest evidence of a problem which Cypriot football cannot seem to shake off, with numerous other such incidents having taken place in recent months.
In October, a 26-year-old man suffered a facial fracture and other injuries to his body after being involved in violent episodes after a match between Apoel and Anorthosis, while the Limassol derby has been the scene of violence more often than not in recent years.
Arrests reached double figures when Ael and Apollon were scheduled to play each other in September, with a large number of fans without tickets having entered the Alphamega Stadium, where both teams play.
Flares were then lit in the stands and Molotov cocktails were found by police, who then called for everyone inside the stadium to leave and be rechecked for tickets and banned items.
However, the fans refused to leave the stadium, and the match was abandoned.
Justice Minister Marios Hartsiotis at the time called on football clubs to isolate what he referred to as “100, 500 or even 1,000 mindless thugs”, adding that those responsible for the incidents “fired flares at people who were simply doing their jobs”.
He also criticised the Cyprus Football Association (CFA) for not “taking further action” in advance of the fixture, adding that the government had been urging them to take measures but had not seen sufficient determination to this end.
Away fans had been banned from all competitive football matches a year ago after a firecracker launched from a stand hit a player in the head during a Coca Cola Cup match between Nea Salamina and Apoel, with the player reportedly suffering damaged hearing as a result.
Just days later, another Limassol derby was cancelled due to violence inside and outside the Alphamega Stadium.
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