Racist mob attacks two Indian delivery drivers in Limassol, south Cyprus

A 15-memebr gang attacked and robbed two delivery drivers in Limassol, south Cyprus on Saturday night, Greek Cypriot police said on Monday.

The incident occurred around 11:30 pm on Saturday when a group of approximately 15 individuals attacked two foreigners on Melina Mercouri Street in Polemidia, near the junction with Pafos Avenue.

Two people, aged 21 and 19, have already been arrested as a result of the incident and charged with robbery, actual bodily harm, assault and racially motivated offences.

The police said the mob grabbed €300 in cash and a mobile phone from the delivery drivers, who are Indian nationals.

The drivers were taken to hospital after the incident, where it was found that one of them had suffered a broken nose.

Both had multiple bruises on their faces and bodies, and the man who suffered a broken nose was kept in hospital as a precaution.

According to police sources, the 21-year-old suspect admitted to punching one of the victims, claiming self-defence, while the 19-year-old denied involvement, stating he attempted to break up the fight.

A witness statement described 15-20 individuals, some with covered faces and armed with wooden sticks, water bombs and rocks, shouting racist abuse at and attacking the two workers. The assailants reportedly continued the assault despite bystanders’ attempts to intervene.

Saturday’s incident is the latest in a series of attacks on delivery drivers in Limassol.

The drivers had in August staged a protest against what they called a “frightening surge” in violent attacks against them, with around 300 people joining the demonstration.

One demonstrator told the Cyprus Mail, “everyone is afraid to do their job”.

A day later, online food ordering platform Wolt said it had expressed concerns over the reported rise in incidents, saying they had sent a letter to the relevant authorities expressing concern about the “nature and frequency of attacks against delivery drivers.”

“In most cases, they have a racist undertone,” they added.