Police union head criticises handling of stadium incidents
Head of the police branch of Isotita trade union Nikos Loizides on Tuesday expressed strong criticism regarding the handling of the recent riots in Limassol, highlighting several failures in security measures.
Speaking to Sigmalive, Loizides said that three police officers narrowly escaped serious injury or death during the violent incidents, which involved over 100 flares, 40 Molotov cocktails, and stones thrown at officers.
Loizides called the situation “shameful” and apologised on behalf of the state to the injured officers.
“We managed to prevent them from being sent home in coffins. I am ashamed and offer an apology to those three colleagues who fought, were injured, and nearly lost their lives,” he said.
He pointed to numerous security lapses in the country’s stadiums, including the lack of permanent perimeters, body search areas, electronic fan cards with scanners, high-definition CCTV, and other key safety measures.
Loizides also lamented that pre-sales of tickets do not stop 24 hours before games, that entrances are not closed 30 minutes before matches, and that there is no proper oversight of fan clubs, which often lack legal status.
He then criticised the absence of a coordinated security plan between the Cypriot riot squad (MMAD) unit and the local police for matches, questioning how a fan march was allowed in Limassol, especially when a court order had been issued the previous Friday to close the group’s premises in Nicosia.
He concluded by said that the responsibility for public safety lies with the police, not football club officials.
“If we want to, no football match will take place tomorrow because no security official will start a game without police assurance of safety,” he said.
“The stadiums are in such poor condition they can barely host 100 people. Safety is the police’s responsibility, not something for club presidents to worry about. So, either games are played under our terms, or there will be no games,” Loizides concluded.