Woman arrested after mask incident escalates

A female passenger on a bus in Limassol, who reportedly refused to wear a mask, has been arrested on assault charges after police said she struck an officer on duty.

According to local media, public transit passengers in Limassol alerted law enforcement authorities regarding a woman on their bus who was not wearing a face covering despite being told by fellow passengers to mask up.

Police officers, who tracked down the vehicle in motion, boarded the bus and asked the woman to comply with health guidelines and put on a face mask.

According to police spokesperson Christos Andreou, the 34-year-old woman refused to comply with the order and was adamant about not wearing a mask.

Andreou, who addressed the incident on state radio Tuesday morning, said the woman pushed a male officer and grabbed him by the neck, prompting police to arrest her on assault charges.

Local media said the officer was taken to the Emergency Room at Limassol General Hospital, where he was treated for minor neck injuries.

Police pressed charges on the female suspect as well as issued a citation for violating emergency health laws aimed at fighting the spread of COVID-19.