High-ranking civil servant arrested after mass brawl in north

A high-ranking civil servant in the north was arrested on Monday night as part of the police’s investigations into a mass brawl which took place in Nicosia’s old town last week.

It is understood that the man holds a high-level position in the north’s ‘health ministry’. He is expected to appear in court on Tuesday.

It was heard on Monday that two of the people already arrested after the fight, which had taken place on Zahra Street, were handing out golf clubs from their car to other fighters before the fight took place.

Last week, it had been reported that four of those arrested were under the age of 18 and that one of them had been “seriously beaten” during the fight.

Turkish Cypriot Nicosia mayor Mehmet Harmanci had described the fight as a “mafia exercise”.

“What happened last night on Zahra Street was not just a simple fight, but power exercises carried out by mafia groups, as happens in every area of the country,” he said.

Zahra street is located in Nicosia’s old town, atop the western side of the city walls. In recent years, it has become a hub of social spaces, cafes, restaurants, bars and other entertainment venues.