Fourth suspect arrested in connection with football violence

A 48-year-old man was arrested on Tuesday on suspicion of participating in clashes between AEL and Apollon football fans that saw eight vehicles damaged and one destroyed by fire.

The man is the fourth suspect arrested in connection with the case. Another two men, aged 20 and 36, were also arrested last week, while a 16-year-old boy was also charged in writing and then released.

The arrests came after evidence emerged against the suspects during police investigations into last Thursday night’s incident.

The clashes were between supporters of Limassol sides Apollon and AEL, the latter playing away in Azerbaijan on Thursday.

The trouble kicked off at around 7pm when a number of individuals, who had gathered in the Ayios Antonios area where the Apollon clubhouse is located, started throwing stones at passing cars driven by fans of AEL, damaging two vehicles.

Two hours later, while the crowd was still assembled in Ayios Antonios, a large group of people wearing helmets and ski masks, arrived in the area prompting an exchange of stones and flares.

The clashes subsided half an hour later leaving behind an area resembling a warzone and a car that was destroyed by fire.

The fans also set rubbish bins on fire. A flare was also burning on the roof of a house but it was extinguished before the fire spread, police said.