Chlorakas incidents escalate after protest against ‘ghettoisation’ (Update 2)

Without exception, all are expected to abide by the rule of law, director of the president’s press office Victoras Papadopoulos said on Monday reacting to escalating incidents in Chlorakas overnight.

Police have so far arrested four people, two migrants and two Greek Cypriots, while investigations are underway to locate other perpetrators.

“We will protect our country and our democracy and also fulfil our obligations towards the European union,” Papadopoulos said, speaking on CyBC’s morning programme.

Updated police reports revealed a different picture of events than the one reported late on Sunday about the escalation of incidents following a protest by locals against the community’s “ghettoisation”.

The latest report clarified that following a march by 300 residents and supporters from other communities, which took place in a tense atmosphere under heavy police presence, but ended without incident, participants split into smaller groups which instigated acts of malicious damage against foreigners’ residences and cars.

According to the police they received complaints from two people who were attacked and injured, while six other complaints were filed for malicious damage to property.

In order to deal with and suppress the incidents, the entire Paphos police force and anti-riot unit were called to the scene with further reinforcements sent from Limassol, Larnaca and CID headquarters.

Two men, aged 34 and 21, residents of Paphos, were arrested for evident offences of disorderly conduct and possession of an offensive weapon.

At around 1.30am on Monday, another 21-year-old was arrested for the possession of an offensive weapon. His arrest was preceded by a stop-and-search of the car he was driving where a bat was found, police reported.

In addition, police secured a warrant and proceeded to arrest a 32-year-old in connection with the above offenscs. Investigations are underway to determine the exact extent of offences committed.

The incidents started around 8pm, an hour after a march by residents against the community’s “ghettoisation” which ended peacefully, according to Cyprus News Agency.

Shortly before midnight, an apartment in the area was in danger of burning down from a fire that started from the balcony from unknown causes. Thanks to the timely intervention of the occupants, the fire was extinguished before it spread.

In other earlier incidents, cars sustained extensive damages and one vehicle was overturned. Windows were also smashed in several houses and shops, with some reports attributing these acts to Syrian migrants.

In an effort to prevent further attacks police called in the riot-control unit and a strong police presence remains in the area.

Asked to address claims that the incidents were a “pogrom” against migrants, planned and carried out by far-right xenophobic elements, Papadopoulos was circumspect, pending clarification of the exact sequence and nature of events following a complete police report.

“We will not tolerate violence of any sort from anyone,” he said, adding “the government had acted decisively [with the relocation of migrants] to resolve an anomalous situation.”

Akel general secretary Stephanos Stephanou, however, speaking on the same programme did not mince words, unequivocally calling the night’s events an “organised pogrom” and blaming them on the current and previous state’s tolerance of far-right party Elam’s unacceptable racist, fanatical and anti-migration views.

“Preventive politics should be in place for dealing with such extreme right elements,” Stephanou said, adding that giving Elam a voice in state discussions about demographic change and migration was a mistake.

Stephanou further lambasted the previous government’s “non-existent” immigration policy and ineptitude in securing proper housing for asylum seekers.

“We are under obligation from the European Union to house political refugees,” the Akel spokesman said. Asked where and how these refugees and asylum seekers should be housed, however, Stephanou deferred, stating the state had a responsibility to find a solution.

Earlier, on Sunday afternoon the 300 residents from Chlorakas and the surrounding areas, as well as party representatives, held a march regarding the migrant isse in the area and the Ayios Nikolaos (St Nicholas Elegant Residences) complex relocation operation.

The event, which started at 6pm in the afternoon and ended an hour later, saw protestors shouting slogans for the removal from Chlorakas of all “who live illegally in the territory of the Republic,” while the main theme of the organisers was the “de-ghettoisation of Chlorakas”.

President of centre-left Edek Marinos Sizopoulos said that the message sent by the party’s presence at the event was “very clear” and has to do with the protection of residents of the community and the “decolonisation of the area from illegal immigrants.

“We have for a long time made it clear that there must be a clean separation. It’s one thing for political refugees who come from war zones and should receive appropriate support, and another for illegal immigrants to flood our homeland in the context of a hybrid war waged by Turkey with specific goals and for a specific purpose,” he said.

Several right-wing Elam officials were also present at the event, including the party’s press representative Geadis Geadis, who stated that the events in Chlorakas prove that the situation “has gotten out of control” while calling for a strict immigration policy.