Indian nationals racially attached in south Cyprus: Police ignores and mock victim when he reported the incident

A 40-year-old Indian food delivery rider was racially attacked by Greek Cypriot youths in Limassol.

The attack occurred at around 8:30 pm in the Germasogeia area of Limassol on Tuesday night when the victim was on a delivery task.

This is the fourth such incident against delivery workers in the city in recent days.

The victim, who contacted philenews to urge authorities to take protective measures, shared his account of the incident.

According to the delivery rider, the attack occurred whilst he was on a delivery. “I was driving my motorcycle when more than 10 people stopped me, he stated. They hit me in the back, and I fell to the ground while they kicked me in the ribs. They called me a ‘black b****’ and told me to ‘go back to my country.’ They tried to steal my motorcycle and my money. When I got up, they ran towards the park, but they managed to steal my helmet”.

The man claimed he reported the incident at Germasogeia Police Station but was dissatisfied with the response. “I went to the Germasogeia Police Station, and a policewoman started shouting at me instead of helping me. They gave me a piece of paper to go to the General Hospital and the CID. No police officer was interested in going to the scene of the incident; they were just talking and laughing among themselves, except for one police officer”, he said.

He further alleged that upon visiting the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), he was instructed to first seek a medical examination at Limassol General Hospital before providing a statement.

The delivery rider expressed hope that his experience would “wake up” the police and the entire system to address the recent spate of racist attacks against food delivery workers.

When contacted by philenews, police confirmed that the individual was at the hospital at 10:40 pm and would provide a statement afterwards.

Following the reported assault on a 40-year-old Indian delivery rider, another incident also occurred in the Agios Tychonas area.

According to reports, at approximately 9:30 pm on Tuesday October 15, a delivery rider was accosted whilst riding his electric bicycle in Agios Tychonas. The victim stated that three assailants on a motorcycle approached him. One kicked the rider, another pushed him, and the third stole two mobile phones from his person.

The rider escaped physical injury, but the theft of his mobile phone was reported.

In response to the rising number of such incidents, police have stated that between 1 September and 15 October, ten arrests were made in connection with robbery cases. 

In-Cyprus