Peo trade union condemns attack on food delivery driver
The hospitality industry employees of Peo trade union on Wednesday demanded the punishment of the individuals who beat up and robbed a food-delivery driver over the weekend in Limassol.
In a statement condemning the assault, the union said “once again…workers in this sector become victims of racist and violent attacks”.
Similar incidents took place in the capital, the union added, calling for those involved to go to trial.
The union also reiterated their support for workers in the delivery and e-commerce companies, saying it continues the effort to negotiate a collective agreement. This process is underway in the department of labour relations.
Seven people, including five minors aged 15 and 14, were charged for the assault against the rider who delivered the food they ordered on Saturday night.
Limassol police spokesman Lefteris Kyriacou said the five teenagers “showed great remorse for their actions”.
According to the police, they ordered food through an online app in the area of Ayios Antonios. When the courier arrived he was threatened by the group of young people, who were armed with knives and bats. They took the food without paying and stole the courier’s moped.
Later in the evening, the driver found out about the whereabouts of the group and the moped. Along with three other individuals, all Pakistani nationals like him, he headed to the Ayios Ioannis park and confronted the minors.
There, they were attacked by a larger group of unknown people.
According to the courier’s account of the facts that unfolded, around 15 people assaulted him and his friends at the park.
The four men attempted to flee, but were stopped by the group, who beat them with clubs.
At some point, the food courier managed to escape the attack, took his motorbike, and went to the police station to report the crime.
Following the incident, police went to Limassol general hospital where they found two friends of the complainant, aged 34 and 38.
The two were kept for treatment, as doctors said their condition was serious but stable.
President Nikos Christodoulides and Ombudswoman Maria Stylianou Lottides condemned the incident, with the latter saying that “violence cannot be justified,” and that zero tolerance must be shown towards people who commit racist hate crimes.