Newsroom
A boy’s father has been arrested on assault charges in connection with a large-scale altercation in downtown Nicosia, but reports suggest two minors have been identified by a food delivery driver who was allegedly attacked by unruly teens prior to the reported incident.
Photos and videos emerged on social media in the last couple of days show dozens of delivery drivers with their motorbikes in Pallouriotissa, east Nicosia, were police say they received information Sunday night about an altercation between two groups.
Law enforcement authorities say they were notified Sunday night around 9:30pm about a street brawl with officers rushing to the area and finding a group of teenagers and a group of adults following what appeared to have been a prior incident.
An official police report said a 53-year-old male was caught red handed, charged with aggravated assault, and then released in connection with an alleged assault on a 28-year-old male.
Police declined to provide more details but local media said the suspect was the father of a teenager who was reportedly at the scene, where a 28-year-old delivery guy was allegedly attacked by teenagers.
Unconfirmed reports said the teens had asked the delivery driver to give them his motorcycle but attacked him after he refused. Additional comments on social media said young hooligans in the area and other distrcits would often throw stones at foreign delivery drivers, kick their motorbikes, and harass them.
A number of videos on social media and allegations in subsequent reports suggested the delivery driver was initially attacked by unruly teens, with the young hooligans holding back and abandoning the area when another vehicle drove by.
According to police, the delivery driver, described by local media as a foreign national, went to the Emergency Room at Nicosia General Hospital where doctors said he had sustained a head injury.
Four young persons aged between 14 and 16 also went to the ER at the same hospital to undergo medical exams according to police, but no further information was provided.
According to Reporter, police officers who rushed at the scene averted further escalation while the injured delivery driver was purported to have identified two teens from the scene.
Police told Knews on Tuesday morning that only the 53-year-old male was arrested in connection with the incident, saying he was “detained in the act” but declined to give more details.
It was unclear whether any complaint had been filed regarding the incident, with police saying they only acted on information and the brawl did not escalate further after police arrived.
