Five individuals sustained injuries on Friday when an anti-migrant march in Limassol took a violent turn, with migrants and refugees being targeted in the attack.
Cyprus police have taken into custody 13 individuals following a protest against migrants and refugees in the island's second-largest city, Limassol. The demonstration took a violent turn, with mobs vandalizing property, leading to injuries for five people during the unrest on Friday evening. Approximately 500 individuals participated in the march, as confirmed by the police.
During the march, rubbish bins were ignited, and several shops were subjected to vandalism, as reported by the police. According to witnesses cited by Cypriot media, there were reports of attacks on some foreigners during the procession.
To control the situation, the police employed water cannons, targeting a group of protesters, including some who were wearing hoods and holding a banner with the message "Refugees not welcome."
The surge in violence occurred just days after approximately 20 individuals were apprehended following intense confrontations between Cypriot locals and migrants and refugees in the vicinity of the western resort town of Paphos. This unrest unfolded as authorities commenced the eviction of Syrian residents from a condemned apartment complex.
Video footage circulating on social media depicted a group of Greek Cypriots vocally chanting "Get out, get out" during the demonstration. According to the police, the situation escalated into violence when these Greek Cypriots encountered a group of Syrians.
The unrest persisted even after approximately 500 Syrians engaged in a peaceful counter-protest, as reported by the police, who resorted to deploying tear gas and water cannon to disperse both factions.
As an European Union member, Cyprus describes itself as a "front-line country" situated along the Mediterranean migrant route, grappling with the challenges posed by a significant influx of undocumented migrants and refugees.
Recent EU data indicates that Cyprus has the highest number of first-time asylum applications per capita among the 27-member bloc. Authorities revealed last week that migrants and refugees constitute an estimated 6 percent of the island's population, significantly higher than the EU's average of approximately 1 percent.
Refugee camps in Cyprus are facing severe overcrowding issues, leading to the emergence of impoverished ghettos in several areas, where people are living in dire conditions.
"Embarrassing" Images: Cypriot PM
On Saturday, Cyprus President Nikos Christodoulides convened an emergency meeting to address the unrest in Limassol with the police chief, as well as his justice and interior ministers. This marked the second such emergency meeting in a week, following a session held on Tuesday in response to the violence in Paphos.
Expressing visible anger, Christodoulides told reporters, "There is not much that can be said other than the embarrassing images we have seen. They have nothing to do with addressing immigration. If all those involved in the Limassol incidents truly loved or cared about our country, they would not have engaged in actions that, above all, disgrace our nation."
Over the past 16 years, the Greek Cypriot administration has dealt with 413 racist attacks and incidents in court, with 125 related cases still pending, as reported by Cypriot newspaper Politis.
There has been a significant decline in the number of migrants and refugees seeking asylum in Cyprus, with a 53 percent decrease recorded over the past five months, as reported by data from the Ministry of Interior.
Between March and July 2022, over 10,600 individuals submitted asylum applications, in contrast to the 4,976 applications received during the same period this year, according to the provided statistics.
However, police data indicates an increase in the arrivals of migrants and refugees by sea. In the past three months alone, more than 500 individuals arrived on 45 small fishing boats or inflatable dinghies, with the majority originating from Syria.
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