Newsroom
A violent clash just 100 meters from Larnaca Police Headquarters has rattled the city and reignited a long-simmering question many Cypriots are now asking out loud: If this can happen there, what does that say about organized crime and the state’s ability to stop it?
The incident unfolded Saturday afternoon on Grigoris Afxentiou Avenue, a busy stretch of road with passing cars and unsuspecting civilians. Video footage circulating online shows two groups of men confronting each other, some armed with axes and sticks, while at least two gunshots can be heard. Moments later, those involved scattered, leaving behind shock and injured people.
Several individuals were taken to private clinics and Larnaca General Hospital for treatment.
The fact that the clash happened almost within sight of police headquarters has only intensified public concern. It also reopened an uncomfortable debate over whether the authorities truly have the tools, legal or otherwise, to dismantle organized crime networks that many believe are already known to police.
Justice Ministry vs Parliament
In the aftermath, Justice Minister Konstantinos Fytiris said the police are still operating without key resources they need to act decisively.
“We do not yet have all the necessary tools,” he said, calling on Parliament to move quickly on pending issues so police can take a real step forward in the fight against organized crime.
But Parliament pushed back.
DISY MP Prodromos Alambritis, speaking on radio, insisted there is nothing currently stalled at the House Legal Affairs Committee. If changes are needed to the law, he said, then they should be made, but action must come now.
AKEL MP Andreas Pasiourtides went further, calling for the issue of rising crime and public insecurity to be brought immediately before the House. He questioned how it is possible for the public to recognize those involved in violent incidents while arrests remain elusive.
“It’s not possible for everyone to know who is behind these crimes, people known to the authorities, and yet the police are unable to dismantle these networks,” he said, pointing out that even videos of the clash appear to identify familiar figures.
Police Say Laws Are Holding Them Back
Police, however, argue their hands are a bit tied.
Force spokesman Byron Byron acknowledged that some legislation remains pending and said that once passed, it would significantly strengthen police investigations. One key issue is the legal framework around phone surveillance, a tool widely used in other countries but still legally sensitive in Cyprus.
He stressed that police are taking action where possible, both day and night, but admitted certain investigative tools remain out of reach, for now.
“Unacceptable and Extremely Worrying”
Larnaca Mayor Andreas Viras did not mince words, calling the incident “unacceptable and extremely worrying.”
In a public statement, he condemned the violence, noting that it took place in a public space, in front of ordinary citizens, and in a way that does not reflect a modern European society.
“These are images that do not honor our city,” he said, warning that Larnaca cannot and should not become fertile ground for such criminal behavior.
The mayor called for an immediate and thorough investigation and said the municipality is ready to work closely with police to help restore a sense of safety.
“Society is demanding action,” he said. “And it is demanding security.”
For many residents, that demand now feels more urgent than ever, especially when organized crime appears bold enough to operate in broad daylight, just steps away from the police themselves.
