Three arrests as fracas breaks out over delayed benefits payments

Paphos police arrested three people on Tuesday who allegedly assaulted employees at the social welfare office and one officer after complaining over delayed payment of benefits.

The incident occurred around 11.30am when several third-country nationals gathered outside the district’s social welfare offices to protest various issues on the payment of their benefits, Paphos police spokesman Michalis Nicolaou told the Cyprus Mail.

Some of them entered the building and according to Nicolaou there was “some sort of physical violence” against three female employees.

When officers arrived at the scene, there was an attack against a policeman who suffered a fracture of his left arm.

Police arrested one man and two women for illegally entering the department, causing public nuisance, assault and assault of an officer as well as resisting arrest.