Racism not the motive for bench scuffle

Police yesterday excluded racism as the motive behind a fight that broke out between Pontian and Greek Cypriot pupils at Nicosia’s Pancyprian Gymnasium on Wednesday, which resulted in minor injuries for the latter.

According to police yesterday, the violent scuffle was over control of a bench the Greek Cypriot students had moved to a part of the school yard at the start of the day.

During the final break, they arrived to find five Pontian classmates and two others not from the school sitting on the bench playing cards.

According to what the two third-grade pupils told police, when they went to claim the bench as theirs, the group of seven attacked them.

“Two 18-year-olds, both third-grade pupils at the Pancyprian Gymnasium, reported to Paphos Gate police station on Wednesday that (while at school) at 12.40pm on the same day … they were attacked by seven strangers,” a police spokesman said yesterday.

“They said five of (the attackers) were classmates and the other two” outside parties.

Police added that those set upon said the attack came after they asked for their bench back.

“The seven pupils refused as they were playing cards on the bench and, after the two plaintiffs insisted, they were attacked,” said the spokesman. “One of the plaintiffs was kicked and punched and, when the other went to help him, he was also attacked.”

The two were taken to Nicosia General Hospital, where one was treated for a head injury and the other for cuts and bruises on his back, head and face.

“Investigations so far have excluded the possibility of a racist attack,” added the spokesman. Paphos Gate police are investigating the case.

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