Group of Africans fight in old town of Nicosia, south Cyprus, injures Greek Cypriot woman

Greek Cypriot police stand around and watch as an African man who was injured lay on the ground in blood. 

The incident involving a group of Africans happened at about 8:00am on Saturday outside an alcohol shop frequented by asylum seekers and refugees who live in the neighbourhood, known as the Ochi n the old town of Nicosia.

According to eye witness, there was a lot of commotion in the area. They said there was a lot of blood on the ground and maybe a dozen police officers standing around watching but not taking action.

The injured man was “screaming like hell” while other Africans were trying to restrain him, the witness said.

He was lying face down and they were trying to tie him with what appeared to be a sheet.

At some stage the witness heard one officer saying “lads, have we decided what to do?”

A female paramedic was also trying to calm the man down, the eyewitness said. “He was dangerous.”

The female paramedic, a Greek Cypriot was injured by the inured man while trying to help him. She had been kicked in the face and neck while the man was being set on the stretcher to be taken to hospital.

Police said they had been called to the scene at around 7.20am because two people were fighting in a parking lot.

After their arrival, police found a man with wounds to his arms caused by a broken bottle. The man was causing unrest and shouting abuse and he was arrested, police said.

While he was carried to the stretcher, he was kicking and screaming, injuring the paramedic in the process.