Police arrest 21 people in Chlorakas

The police responded on Monday night (28/08) to a group of people gathered in the Chlorakas area, holding bats and crowbars, causing incidents for the second night in a row.

The people clashed with the police, throwing stones and starting fires in buckets. A video posted on social media shows a vehicle being set on fire in the Emba area. It's being investigated whether this is related to the incidents. The police managed to handcuff 21 individuals from both groups, who were detained for questioning.

According to reports, a 47-year-old Syrian man who threatened to cause trouble in Pafos was arrested for aggressive behavior towards the police during the incidents. It's also worth noting that this person had attended a meeting with the Minister of Justice and the Chief of Police.

Police spokesperson Christos Andreou stated that there are still strong police forces in the area to prevent further incidents.

The Police reported that the arrest of the mentioned individuals followed protests in the Chlorakas area yesterday afternoon, involving two groups of about 250 people each.

The Police deployed anti-riot teams from various departments, including Paphos, Nicosia, and Famagusta, along with the Nicosia Z Group and the UAE, as well as the anti-protester vehicle "AIANTAS." While the events began peacefully, participants from both groups later started acting disruptively, setting fires in trash bins and a building fence.

Police and anti-riot squads intervened to stop the disruptive behavior, causing the protesters to split into smaller groups and continue their actions in different parts of Chloraka.

The police took operational action to confront all active fronts where the attackers were present, preventing the two groups from encountering each other.

In order to control the incidents, the police used chemicals and the anti-protester vehicle "AIANTAS."

A police officer sustained a hand injury from Molotov cocktails and was taken to Paphos General Hospital. The injury was determined to be a second-degree burn, and after receiving initial treatment, the officer was discharged.

The examination of the events in the Paphos District is ongoing.