UNTIL one day in February, the highlight of Andreas’ week was to attend an away game of his football team, Omonia.
“You make a day out of it. You might go for lunch first and then go and spend a few hours watching the team you love play,” the 23-year-old said.
Whatever the result of the game, at the end of the match the tradition was always the same: an ice-cold beer with friends.
Up until the Anorthosis-Omonia game in February, Andreas (not his real name) had tried never to miss a match.
And then in one afternoon his life changed.
Andreas was the victim of violent football hooliganism when he was violently beaten up in a completely unprovoked, irrational attack carried out by a crazed mob.
“I thought I was going to die. I covered my head with my arms as they kicked and punched me and I thought this was it. I couldn’t believe it was happening,” he said.
Lying on the ground as he was pummelled over and over by at least 20 thugs in their teens, the only thought racing through his head was how to save himself.
“It’s amazing how the human body reacts when it wants to.”
Andreas suffered his attack after a football match in Larnaca.
“I was very excited about going to the match. I had lunch with friends and got ready to go the stadium.”
The match was held at the Antonis Papadopoulos stadium located in a residential area in Larnaca.
“There were no police measures around the stadium to make sure the fans came and left from different directions. There were only 10 officers outside the gates ushering us through one entrance and the Anorthosis fans through another,” he said.
Yet, inside the stadium a hailstorm of rocks rained down on Omonia fans to greet them.
“How they got the rocks in I don’t know. We were body searched before entering the stadium and all dangerous objects and lighters were taken off people,” he said.
Officers in full riot gear including batons, shields and helmets were in plain view.
Andreas said their presence turned what had been a friendly, lively atmosphere into something more hostile, almost like a warzone.
“The police provoke aggressive feelings. Their attitude always causes problems,” he said.
The match itself was gripping.
“It was a beautiful game. The score was 1-0 to Omonia, then Anorthosis equalised and in the last seconds of the game, Omonia scored again.”
Andreas and his two friends left the stadium jubilant.
“There was no police announcement telling one side to remain seated while the other left. We all left together.”
As the crowds shuffled out of the stadium, fanatics from both sides started to swear at each other.
The trio headed towards their car which was parked in a side street six or seven minutes from the stadium. Andreas took off his green jacket and placed it under his arm. His friend removed his Omonia scarf.
“We knew we were in opposition territory and didn’t want to provoke anyone. We just wanted to leave quietly and go and have that beer,” he said.
In the distance the threesome saw a crowd assembling. Suddenly Anorthosis fans started running towards them and told them to hide.
“It was like a warning. We were only five metres from the car and decided to just get in and leave. I mean where were we going to run and go? Besides whatever was happening back at the stadium didn’t concern us.”
Only inches from the car, a mob of around 40 angry youths appeared out of nowhere, said Andreas.
“Their scarves were tied around their faces and you knew they weren’t in the mood to say hi. They were holding stones and sticks.”
Andreas said the three of them instinctively agreed to make a run for it.
“One of my friends managed to get away, as I started to run I heard my other friend call out. I turned around and he was on the ground being kicked to a pulp. I couldn’t believe that we were being attacked. My eyes filled with tears because I knew that a) I was going to be beaten and I was going to be beaten a lot and b) at the unfairness of it all because we weren’t even fanatics.”
His friend was on the floor.
“I told them to leave him alone. We could do nothing. I was like a girl, begging. There were just two of us against 40.”
Somehow Andreas managed to pick his friend up.
“They were punching me and kicking me on the head, shoulders and back but I couldn’t feel it. I just wanted to get my friend. It’s amazing what the human body is capable of. Ordinarily just one punch would floor me. ”
Then out of nowhere, he was kicked in the lower back. The force of the blow was so hard it threw him to the ground. While he was on the floor his satchel was ripped from around his neck and stolen. It contained his wallet, ID card and credit cards and keys.
“They started to kick me. I don’t know how many times but it was repeatedly and everywhere. On my sides, legs, back and arms. Then they hit me with metal pipes and threw rocks at me. I thought I was going to die and I had to do something.”
His friend was lying bleeding on the floor because he was too injured to move.
“I felt I had to do something. I felt nothing at that moment. NO pain. I just wanted to get away from there. I grabbed my friend from his collar and at that moment they started throwing stones. They were like crazed animals. I could hear other voices shouting to leave us alone. Then I saw a neighbour open his front door to see what was going on. I didn’t think. I just got my friend and threw him into the house and hurled myself in after him. We landed inside his house on the floor, dirty and bloody with ripped clothes.”
After that the mob dispersed as quickly as they’d appeared. Andreas believes the man’s sons, who were Anorthosis fans and had also been at the game with their father, recognised some of their attackers, which frightened them away.
Andreas called his other friend who had managed to get away to come and collect them. Acting on advice from the neighbour the trio went to report the incident to Larnaca police. They were treated with indifference and their statement was never taken.
“They asked us who did it. We told them Anorthosis fans. They asked if we’d seen them. We said no because they’d been wearing scarves. They said, ‘well what do you expect us to do about it’, so we left.”
Thankfully neither man had sustained any serious injuries, although they could not go to work for a few days.
“I couldn’t talk about it for days. I had nightmares and couldn’t think about it. I’m only starting to come to terms with it now.
“I am never going to an away game again. I won’t pay another stadium to put my life in danger. In Nicosia I have a season ticket and the GSP stadium is safe because we can come and go from different entrances.”
Andreas said the experience had left a bitter taste in his mouth.
“I never expected something like this. The treatment by the authorities afterwards was just as bad. That night they said on the news that 30 police and two civilians had been injured. Those two civilians were us. No one ever followed up on it. I don’t know who those people who did this to us are but I do know that at some point they will be punished because what goes around, come around.”
