Cyprus-Forum.com

[johbee]

Seems the news coverage has been very quiet on the topic. With AEL winning the championship they commenced to destroy Limassol. I spent much of Sunday night trying to extinguish fires outside my house until I was attacked by four youths wearing mask. I called the police twelve times, but not a single policeman ever came to the scene. The fire department told me they wouldn't come because the hooligans threw rocks at them and damaged their equipment. After contacting the Limassol police yesterday we were told that the gangs were very organised and if they tried fight them it would cause more problems and that we should be patient since after a few days the trouble would die down. I asked what if they burn my house down. They reply was "Don't you have insurance?". We contacted a reporter friend at RIK and he told us they were instructed to stay away from the conflict and not report on it since it would encourage the rioters! The central police in Nicosia informed us that they were not aware of the problem! (Sounds familiar since the president doesn't know where Mari is). God help us this coming weekend when they are awarded the trophy. I'm sure the cowardly police will leave and the citizens to once again fend for themselves. Ultimately it is the taxpayers who will be left to cover the cost of the damages. Such a shame that such a victory cause such indiscriminate criminal behavior. Such a shame that we have absolutely no protection from the fire and police services.

[CBBB]

AEL celebration marred by vandalism

By Jacqueline Agathocleous Published on May 8, 2012

LIMASSOL town was buzzing throughout the weekend, after its local football club AEL became league champions for the first time in 44 years.

The streets were alight with flares, people were hanging out of moving cars waving flags and jubilant fans were shouting chants and singing songs – but sadly it didn’t end there, with countless incidents of vandalism and a lack of police presence reported.

AEL beat Anorthosis Famagusta on Saturday, which coupled with APOEL’s defeat to AC Omonia, made the Limassol team’s championship victory a mathematical certainty. They will officially be crowned champions this Saturday, after they play against AC Omonia.

Starting off the championship as outsiders, the Limassol team went on to become favourites after entering the play-off group stages, eventually being crowned champions for the sixth time and the first time in 44 years.

The last time a Limassol team won the championship was with AEL’s eternal rivals Apollon FC in 2005-2006.

But the championship was not welcomed by all Limassol residents.

The Cyprus Mail received a number of complaints from distressed members of the public, who all agreed on a complete lack of police presence, while fans rampaged through the town’s streets. Buildings were vandalised, windows were broken and bins were set alight.

“0.1 per cent of the population terrorises the other 99.9 per cent,” said one reader, Michael Thomaides, who said he was speaking on behalf of “a great deal of people” who feel the same way.

He said despite countless calls to Limassol and Nicosia police headquarters, no police or firemen arrived to deal with the mayhem.

“The Makarios roundabout destroyed; graffiti on shop windows, walls, pavements, roads; explosions of home-made bombs,” said Thomaides. “Bank windows shuttered from explosions and stones, alarms ringing, road signs knocked down and destroyed, public dustbins set alight. Private and public property destroyed. What shall the 99.9 per cent do? Stop paying taxes? Take out our rifles and protect our property?”

He wondered who would pay for the damage, other than the taxpayer.

“I and other shop/property owners should not have to stand outside our properties protecting them from intoxicated hooligans, without police support or have to worry if our children will come under attack because they went out for a pizza on Saturday night,” said Thomaides.

Robert Beeks was returning from an event in Larnaca with his wife and three young children in the car when, as they approached their home near the Ayios Nicolaos round-about, they came across scores of hooligans banging on cars and stopping traffic.

Countless calls to the police resulted in them being told to go to the station and file a complaint, but by this time, Beeks’ youngest was crying in fear.

And it got worse on Sunday. Starting off early in the day, the situation just deteriorated throughout the day.

“As the evening progressed the situation rapidly worsened with fires being set all around my house and senseless vandalism occurring everywhere,” said Beeks. “I phoned the police twelve times pleading for them to send some help. On numerous occasions they simply closed the phone. I phoned the fire department numerous times pleading for help. The fire department advised me that they wouldn't come because the hooligans threw rocks at them. My neighbours and my wife also phoned the police and fire brigade. It was obvious that my neighbours and I would have to take control of the situation if we wanted to save our homes from being destroyed and our families from being harmed.”

So Beeks and his 15-year-old daughter started using a hose and buckets to put out fires surrounding their house; until four masked men chased them away.

And it looks like the celebrations are far from over as AEL will be holding a celebratory fiesta at the Tsirion Stadium on Saturday night, to officially mark becoming champions.

A police spokesman yesterday said: “If 7,000 or 10,000 people are out in the streets, it’s hard to have police everywhere.”

http://www.cyprus-mail.com/win/ael-cele ... m/20120508

There you go Mr Beeks!

[johbee]

Very nice. Thanks Cyprus-Mail.

[Sotos]

AEL issued an announcement on the issue:

Η Διοίκηση της ΑΕΛ Ποδόσφαιρο ΛΤΔ εκφράζει την έντονη δυσαρέσκεια της για τη μικρή μερίδα των οπαδών μας που αντί να πανηγυρίζουν την ιστορική κατάκτηση του Πρωταθλήματος, προβαίνουν σε βανδαλισμούς, προκαλούν ζημιές και καταστρέφουν περιουσίες.

Το Δ.Σ καταδικάζει με τον πιο κατηγορηματικό τρόπο, καταδικάζει το απαράδεκτο αυτό φαινόμενο το οποίο προσβάλει την ιστορία του σωματείου μας και αμαυρώνει αυτές τις όμορφες στιγμές που ζούμε.
Δεν θα διστάσουμε, εάν συνεχιστούν αυτές οι απαράδεκτες και προσβλητικές ενέργειες, να ακυρώσουμε την φιέστα για την κατάκτηση του πρωταθλήματος.

Καλούμε τον μεγάλο και περήφανο κόσμο της ΑΕΛ, να μην επιτρέψει σε αυτούς τους λίγους να συνεχίσουν να προσβάλουν την ιστορία του σωματείου μας.

Απαιτούμε από όλους τους Αελίστες να συμπεριφερθούν με κόσμιο τρόπο έτσι όπως αρμόζει στην Ιστορία του σωματείου μας και να συνεχίσουμε να πανηγυρίζουμε αυτές τις μεγάλες στιγμές έτσι όπως αξίζει στη νέα Πρωταθλήτρια Κύπρου.

Εκφράζουμε και τις απολογίες μας σε όλους τους συμπολίτες μας, οι οποίοι έχουν υποστεί ζημιές».

Google Translation:

Management LTD AEL Football deeply disappointed for the small portion of our fans that instead of celebrating the historic win of the season, engaged in vandalism, damage and destroy property.

The Board condemns in the strongest terms, condemns the unacceptable phenomenon which affects the history of our association and tarnish these beautiful moments that we live.
We will not hesitate, if you continue these actions unacceptable and offensive, to cancel the fiesta for winning the championship.

We call upon the great and proud people of the AEL, to not allow these few to continue to challenge the history of our association.

We expect all Aelistes behave in decent manner so as befits the history of our club and continue to celebrate these moments as it deserves to the new Champion of Cyprus.

And expressing our apologies to all our fellow citizens who have suffered losses

[johbee]

It is unfortunate for AEL to be clouded in this and in fact one of my best friends is an avid AEL fan. I don't blame the fans, but to me the responsibility lays squarely on the back of the Limassol police for not taking control of the situation. I actually went to the Limassol police last night to voice my concerns that the same would take place again last night. Here's the reception I received (only the last 30 secons are relevant): The police are just like most government employees. They receive their pay and do as little as possible. They are afraid to confront these hooligans. I will most likely have to send my family to a hotel this weekend, but I will stand my ground and defend my life's work. I am not a coward like the police!

[B25]

Send it to the President. perhaps if all those FORMER ministers, woves of and such like didn't need 500 body guards paid for by the state, we'd have more coppers on the beat.

Damn, I swore I would not be posting on this forum again, but I forgot. So bye bye.

[Smiler Brian]

Get your local hunter to shoot the bastards, you will have no shortage of police then! Just a leg shot of course, no need to be silly.

[SSBubbles]

Think we had your share of police as there were about 6 cars and numerous police officers in our area on the night! It was a bit chaotic with road blocks etc and very loud!
I wish you the best of luck for the next game and hopefully you will get the support if needed!

[kurupetos]

Think we had your share of police as there were about 6 cars and numerous police officers in our area on the night! It was a bit chaotic with road blocks etc and very loud!
I wish you the best of luck for the next game and hopefully you will get the support if needed!

In 1968 AEL Limassol won the title. It took AEL 44 years to win it again.

In 1968 Manchester City won the title. Will they...

[johbee]

So after five nights of terror in the Enarios area the police finally showed up and restored order last night. Throughout the week we called the Limassol police, nothing, we called the Nicosia police, nothing. My wife contacted RIK and they interviewed her along with the police spokesman. He later contacted her, gave her some contact details in Nicosia, and in fact his own mobile phone number. So when the riots began again on Wednesday she duly called the contact in Nicosia at around 9:00 p.m. and she was informed that MMAD was on their way. At 10:30 p.m. she called again and was once again informed that MMAD was on their way! (Maybe they were lost since they probably don't know where Limassol is) Lies, lies, and more lies by those paid to protect the citizens of the republic. At approximately 1:30 a.m. a large explosion shook our house so she called the spokesman on his mobile. She was informed that MMAD was in Limassol. (Probably at a casino collecting their weekly fees or maybe being serviced at a local cabaret) When she advised that they should come to the trouble spot he told her she should mind her own business(whose business is the destruction of your private property and protection of your family?) and not tell him how to do his job. Thursday came, another day with no sleep, and we had simply had enough. It was time to call out the big guns. Yes it was time to call those low people in high places, yes indeed time to contact the relatives and friends in high places. That seems to have done the trick. It's not what you know, but who you know. Or as in my case who my wife knows! Too bad that's what it takes to maintain a civilised community. Even last night the police's heavy handedness to everyone who was wearing a yellow shirt was out of line. The police have a very long way to go. The police spokesman was told to deal with this women making noise( my wife) and he basically tried to feed her a line of bullshit and lies. This fool obviously did not know who he was dealing with. The police are just an organized crime unit themselves operating under the guise of the law. I know one who lives in a mansion in the hills and drives around town in a hundred thousand Euro automobile. Can you say bribes and kick backs? They are the rudest, most dishonest, incapable bunch of people I have ever come across in my entire life. But at least I got more than an hours sleep last night. Thank those who made this possible and I will see you all at the next wedding!