Cypriot police arrested 20 individuals after a wave of violence fueled by racial motives against migrants broke out last week in the western part of the island and extended into the city of Limassol in the south at the beginning of the week. Storefronts owned by migrants were smashed in the island's second-largest city, which also witnessed attacks on Asian delivery drivers in a series of violent incidents that began on Friday night and continued into the early hours of Sunday morning.
For years, Cyprus has seen a rise in anti-migrant sentiments, as well as an increase in aggressive behavior within society, which used to be limited to riots during football matches or due to drunken tourists. The latest disturbances were fueled by what advocacy groups say is the government’s disjointed response to the rising number of illegal migrants and a tolerance of anti-foreign rhetoric and behavior.
Masked individuals attacked a number of Syrians living in the village of Chlorakas in western Cyprus last week in scattered incidents over two days, leading to the police arresting 22 people. About 500 individuals did not hesitate to move to the coastal city of Limassol on Friday to riot against businesses owned by foreigners and individuals who did not appear to be Greek Cypriots. Official media reported that three Southeast Asians were attacked and robbed the previous night.
Witnesses on social media also stated that the violence affected visitors from Kuwait. A senior Cypriot diplomat, Kyriakos Kouros, mentioned that the ambassador of an unnamed Arab country lodged a complaint on Saturday after tourists were targeted. Kouros, who serves as the Secretary-General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, posted on the social media platform "X" on Sunday a picture of a group leaving one of the airports, commenting, "They cut their visit short. I doubt they will return again." One of them was in a wheelchair.
He added, "This is the first time I feel deeply embarrassed by such an incident in our country... This is not the Cyprus I was born and raised in, built a family in, and spent my life in."
