Tensions ran high on Wednesday during the House Legal Affairs Committee’s debate over the recent violent anti-migrants riots in the coastal cities of Limassol and Paphos.
The Police leadership was put up against the wall for two hours over their ineffective response to the fascist incidents. And the government was accused of being incapable of maintaining a feeling of security amongst the public.
Philenews also reported on Thursday that Police Chief Stelios Papatheodorou was forced to admit before the Committee that their response in ‘Molos’ in Limassol over the weekend was ‘slow’.
“Unfortunately, we have failed to prevent six injuries and property damage after trying to stop the protesters from advancing towards Molos and these scattered to adjacent streets.
“The fact is that we could have intervened earlier when the hooded men were seen on the pier.”
Absent from the parliamentary debate was Minister of Justice and Public Order, Anna Koukidi-Prokopiou who was at a Cabinet meeting at the time. This prompted Committee chairman, Nikos Tornaritis, to criticize her absence.
“(The Minister) should have been here…our fellow citizens are feeling insecure because certain fascist groups are operating in the streets, hooded men with clubs shouldn’t walk among us,” he said.
“The Justice Ministry should ensure that this is something never to be repeated…Those acting in such a way must be brought to justice and sent to jail,” he added.
