High speed chase in Nicosia sparks debate

A motorcyclist was hospitalized on Tuesday after he was injured in an accident during a high-speed police chase, which caught onlookers by surprise as the suspect took cops on a dangerous ride through the capital.

Nicosia police said they responded to a midday motorcycle nuisance on Tuesday around 1pm, after a noise complaint was filed against a biker on Athalassa Avenue.

Motorcycle police who showed up in the area saw the biker trying to leave after being flagged down, with the cops on wheels giving chase that took them on a wild ride through major streets and inroads of the capital.

Reports and videos online suggested the high speed chase was at times dangerous as the biker maneuvered in and out of traffic and also moved into opposite lanes.

Knews has learned the route followed included Dasoupolis and Acropolis boroughs, then the chase with sirens on spilled into midtown and downtown areas before the biker ended up heading back south to exit the city.

After the wild ride, the helmetless biker got on the highway and rode his motorcycle southbound towards Kalo Chorio when he lost control of the handlebars and collided with the back of another vehicle.

The young biker was injured and taken to the Emergency Room for treatment, while reports said police found a tiny quantity of marijuana and a cannabis grinder in his possession.

Local critics and social media users said they were concerned about the risks of high speed chases in the city.

But others praised the police for pursuing a suspect in an effort to crack down on noisy delinquent youths, a phenomenon that has been growing throughout neighborhoods in the capital.

No injuries or collisions were reported in Nicosia during the high speed chase.