JUSTICE Minister Doros Theodorou yesterday accused DISY leader Nicos Anastassiades of interfering with police business after he intervened to ensure the release of a football trainer arrested by police on charges of causing a disturbance during Sunday’s Omonia vs. Apollon game at the GSP stadium in Nicosia.
Police officers claim Apollon trainer Antonis Kezos was provoking Omonia fans during the game. They say that when Rapid Response Unit (MMAD) officers reprimanded him, he attacked them.
Theodorou claimed Kezos had been released after officers yielded to “political pressure” from Anastassiades, and said he had ordered that charges be pressed against the trainer and a disciplinary investigation ordered against the officers who obeyed the DISY leader’s request.
“Kezos attacked the police and I have said that the police cannot be attacked,” Theodorou said.
Before the game, a group of Apollon fans attacked two police officers when they tried to stop them from taking firecrackers into the stadium. The two officers were taken to hospital, one suffering from concussion and the other with a broken nose.
Theodorou was furious with journalists for focusing their coverage on Kezos instead of the two injured officers.
“Everybody keeps calling me to ask about Kezos, but nobody asked me about the officers that were beaten senseless by those hooligans,” he said.
“And you ask me why one police officer grabbed Kezos by the back of the neck because he couldn’t take him by the arm?”
But Anastassiades yesterday blasted Theodorou for his comments, saying the minister should choose his words carefully, especially after “unnecessary violence was used by police officers in a place where the referee has the last word.”
Anastassiades said the referee’s report after the game in no way condemned Kezos and that he had only intervened when he saw an Apollon player being arrested and beaten up by the police.
“I never interfered with police business,” he said.
“But we will not tolerate a police state under any excuse.”
An Apollonas player was arrested at half time, charged with violent behaviour and released.
Sunday’s game also saw the arrest of nine supporters aged between 14 and 52 on hooliganism-related charges. Police said most were arrested for violent behaviour and for attempting to bring flares and firecrackers into the stadium.
Meanwile, hooligans set fire to a paper recycling factory situated next to the GSP stadium.
The director of the company, Minas Mina, told police that the arsonists broke into the fence perimeter of the factory and set fire to 50 plastic containers causing an estimated damage of £1,500.
