LIMASSOL: Hours before the masked men came, brandishing Cypriot flags and molotov cocktails, hushed whispers of the imminent rampage travelled down th...
Supporters of the Cypriot far-right National Popular Front wave Greek and party flags as they protest against the presence of illegal immigrants on the Mediterranean island, in Larnaca on June 16, 2023. AFPPIX: Hours before the masked men came, brandishing Cypriot flags and molotov cocktails, hushed whispers of the imminent rampage travelled down the Limassol seafront strip home to many migrant-owned businesses.
He stowed away at the back of the restaurant as the men smashed the windows of the business he had built with his life savings.The attack early this month came amid a surge in violence against migrants in Cyprus, which last year recorded the European Union's highest proportion of first-time asylum seekers relative to population.
Police had earlier raided the building to clear it of its residents after allegations of electricity theft spread on social media. Elam did not respond to AFP's request for comment, but the group has repeatedly denied involvement in the violence. “Individuals and politicians that spread fake news and racist rhetoric about immigration also come from more mainstream centre-right parties,“ he told AFP.