Police chiefs were on Monday accused of “amateur handling” of anti-riot operations during the incidents on Sunday in Limassol as the police branch of Isotita union said some police officers avoided being killed simply through luck.
The violent clashes between rival football fans broke out shortly after 10am during a memorial service for the Eoka leader Grivas Digenis, and resulted in the injury of six police officers plus members of the public, in addition to causing damage to cars, police vehicles and shops.
Isotita police representative Nicos Loizides, speaking on CyBC radio, said it was high time leadership started listening to the concerns of those on the ground, and that members of the force would not accept being treated as incidental victims.
Loizides explained that although the number of police officers dealing with Sunday’s incidents was triple the norm, this was not a well-planned operation, claiming that traffic police and others were called to help at the scene from stations in the vicinity, and that large numbers of those on the grouns were newly trained officers with barely three months’ experience.
It is not the first time Loizides has called for proper strengthening of the front line police branch.
The lives of our colleagues should not be in the hands of any amateur. Its about time someone took responsibility. We expect our leadership to position itself with actions now, he said, adding that if some do not care about the human lives of our colleagues, then they cannot be in key positions.
Police on Monday arrested five people for the incidents and announced that two outstanding warrants now remain for suspects whose photos have been publicised.
Loizides attributed the lack of on-the-spot arrests due to the anti-riot units not feeling secure in carrying out such duties. This, Loizides claimed, is in part due to the ill-designed nature of operating with inadequate staff, and in part due to the fact that every single person arrested in similar such incidents in the past, has filed a court case against the arresting officer.
The state needs to show that it has officers backs, if things are to be done properly, Loizides said, adding that we are at a serious junction where the state needs to choose between anarchy and lawlessness and proper policing.
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