Police boycott threat after hooligans run riot

POLICE have threatened to boycott high-risk sports events after Larnaca’s Police Chief was injured and fires were set during a basketball match between AEL Limassol and APOEL Nicosia at the Kition Stadium in Larnaca on Thursday night.
The serious incidents took place not just in Larnaca, but continued along the motorway between Kofinou and Ayios Theodoros, leaving police and fire services struggling to keep up with all the fires and violent incidents that took place before and after the game had ended.

In fact, the match was delayed for half an hour due to clashes between police officers and AEL fans, who objected to the presence of over 20 APOEL fans in their section of the stadium. Finally the latter were moved to another area.
Larnaca Police Chief Soteris Hadjichristofis and three other officers were slightly injured during the clashes.

A National Guard soldier was also taken to Larnaca General Hospital after suffering respiratory problems, brought on by fires that were started, not only in the stadium’s vicinity, but also on the motorway, the Dromolaxia Industrial Estate and the river bridge.

“After this, we are debating very seriously the participation of the police in such matches,” Hadjichristofis said yesterday. “I believe this does not honour us as Cyprus. The police leadership will think about policing such matches in the future, where there are fanatical fans.”

He added: “We have told the police leadership that it must respect the rights and the positions of our officers who go to stadiums and are mercilessly assaulted by fanatical fans.”

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