Youths throwing firecrackers turn on fire engine

Youths throwing firecrackers near the primary school in Livadia village also threw stones at a fire engine called to intervene, police said on Friday.

At around 9.30 on Thursday evening nearby residents called the fire brigade when the youngsters were seen throwing firecrackers and other flammable materials.

When the fire brigade arrived, they threw stones at the engine.

Members of the fire brigade asked for help from the police but as soon as they arrived the youngsters scattered.

Officers from the Oroklini police station went to the area on Friday morning and searched both the school and nearby kindergarten in addition to a supermarket but recorded no complaint of damage.

The stones allegedly thrown at the fire engine did not cause any damage.

Police are expected to examine CCTV in the area in the morning to identify the youths who caused disruption in the area.

Community leader of Livadia, Marios Armenis said “last night around 30 youths wearing hoods and masks and holding clubs were throwing Molotov cocktails, firecrackers, fireworks, flares and other flammable materials, causing great disruption. They lit a fire in the kindergarten which was extinguished by the fire brigade.”

Armenis said about a month ago officials from the village had a meeting with the justice minister and urgently asked for better policing in the area.

He added that similar events had been taking place for years, but “until today no person has been arrested.

“How far will this situation go, with young people causing disturbance and causing damage to various premises. Measures must be taken immediately,” he concluded.