Clashes between hooligans resembled ‘civil war’ scene

Shopkeepers and residents in Limassol are continuing to register damages on Friday in the wake of renewed episodes of violence by hooligans.

The latest episode took place around 11pm on Wednesday night, when after a period of several months of relative calm, over one hundred armed hooligans took to the streets near a football clubhouse, attacking each other with rocks, bats, firebombs, and Molotov cocktails, in a scene described by some observers as resembling a “civil war zone”.

Police, meanwhile, are taking statements and combing through videos posted on social media and CCTV footage, however identification of the perpetrators is difficult as those involved had their faces and heads covered.

Anti-riot measures which have been previously proposed to criminalise the wearing of face coverings in demonstrations have yet to be implemented.

Authorities are also re-considering the enforcement, via decrees, of the closure of football fan association clubhouses.

Police had been strongly opposed to a particular clubhouse in Limassol, which had been temporarily banned from operating, to re-open, however, the Limassol municipality overrode police caution and gave permits for two clubhouses to operate as of May 18.

So far no arrests have been made for the incidents in which an estimated 120 men were involved, a car was set on fire and shop windows were smashed.

Police identified two fans at the scene of the incidents, but did not arrest them according to Philenews as the requested issuance of arrest warrants for the two suspects was rejected by the judge.

A 21-year-old man was injured in the street fighting and taken to hospital with a fractured elbow.

Police do not rule out the possibility that there were others injured who did not go to receive care out of fear of being identified.