Out of patience with football hooligans

PRESIDENT Demetris Christofias yesterday warned that Cyprus was teetering on the brink of seeing the island’s first deaths from football violence and said authorities had run out of patience with hooligans.
“This situation cannot continue,” he said, referring to recent spate of violent incidents, which police could not control. “Police are victims and are then accused of not taking the necessary steps to stamp out violence, or of using excessive force. We are on the verge of mourning victims – dead. A small bell is not ringing. Loud bells are tolling,” said Christofias.
He also made it clear he would not tolerate any interventions when police arrested hooligans. He appealed to the Attorney-general to speed up procedures to prosecute such cases and said he would not be handing out presidential pardons to people found guilty of such offences. 
The President was speaking at an afternoon meeting at the Presidential Palace to address how best to clampdown on violence in sporting arenas.
“The peace and order of 99.9 per cent of the population cannot be disrupted by a small group of individuals. The law exists and it will be imposed persuasively and using all necessary measures,” he said.
He said the government was concerned about a situation that was becoming increasingly more unacceptable both inside and outside sporting arenas.
Police spokesman Michalis Katsounotos said yesterday that almost €2 million had been spent in overtime policing of sports events and at least 116 people had been injured in clashes.
Katsounotos said during the period 2009-2010 a total 1,165 games had been policed and of those games 437 had been premier league games and concerned 258 football matches, 97 basketball matched and 57 volleyball matches.
He also said 15,247 officers had been employed on an overtime basis at a total cost of €1.953 million.
“Incidences occurred at 30 games and a total of 116 people were injured, 84 of who were police officers, while two were citizens,” said Katsounotos.
“On 26 different occasions a total of 90 people were arrested for various offences hat concerned violations of the law,” he said.
The police spokesman said a total of €102,792 worth of material damages had been caused to sport arena property, homes and other premises, as well as to police and private vehicles.
The meeting included the Ministers of Justice and Education, the police chief, the Attorney-general, the government spokesman, the Undersecretary to the President and other relevant bodies.
“Society cannot and should not tolerate 50 or 100 so-called fans from various teams who cause destruction both inside and outside sporting arenas and endanger what society has built,” said Christofias.
The president said social violence and its spread to sports was a global problem and appeared among groups of people who let off stream through violence.  He said a number of these acts of violence were carried out by people who suffered from social problems and how were under the influence of drugs and alcohol.
In his opinion the best way to deal with the problem was by focusing on education, prevention and suppression, he said.
Christofias said the government and sports bodies could not stamp out the phenomenon alone.
“There needs to be an honest, close and strong alliance between government and various state bodies, the Cyprus Football Association and other sports federations, the Association of Referees, sporting fields’ management, sports clubs, political parties, non-government organisations, youth groups and students,” he said.
Christofias also questioned why before a football match nothing suspicious was uncovered by authorities and yet it later became apparent that people had found hiding places in which to place dangerous items.
“I want to underline the fact that millions of euros are spent each year to police sports grounds. During the last period 15,000 police officers were utilised for this purpose when they could have been used to serve citizens elsewhere,” he said.
“Taxpayers pay for this as well as fixing the damages from the riots,” he added.
Christofias said he would not accept a small group of people repeatedly jeopardising the lives of police officers and citizens simply because they wanted to relieve their animal instincts with violence.
At the conclusion of the meeting Christofias suggested the creation of a special team which would examine practical measures to try and stamp out violence at sporting arenas. The group would be made up of the Justice Minister, the Undersecretary to the President, the Chairman of the House Legal Affairs Committee, the presidents of the Cyprus Football Association and the Cyprus Sports Federation, the Youth Organisation and the Attorney-general’s office.
The president said everyone was responsible for today’s situation at sports venues.
“The issue must be dealt with collectively. We have all focused our attention on the existing laws which need to be implemented here and now. Today suggestions were put forward. I urge everyone to come up with others and to set up timeframes so that by September, when the football championship starts, we have results and we can go to the pitches with a specific message,” he said.

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