Cyprus police have now arrested a fifth person in connection with a violent attack on the Apollon football club's headquarters last week. This is part of a wider effort to stop disorder linked to sports. The arrests, which have taken place over several days, follow a shocking attack by what are believed to be rival fans. The incident ended with the clubhouse being set on fire and property damaged. In a separate and very serious event, police in the capital, Nicosia, have also arrested a fifty-year-old man. He is suspected of deliberately starting a house fire which left a young man with critical injuries and badly damaged a building.
The trouble at the football club began on Thursday evening. According to police, a group identified as fans of the AEL club attacked the rival Apollon clubhouse. The situation quickly became worse, with the attackers throwing fireworks and fire-starting devices at the building before running away. As they left, they caused more damage by setting a large rubbish bin on fire and harming nearby cars. Police responded quickly and their investigation has so far led to five suspects, aged 19 to 30, being caught. The most recent arrest happened on Wednesday.
While police continue to investigate the football violence, a more severe case of suspected arson has led to a serious criminal charge. In the early morning of November 25th, a fire broke out in a three-storey apartment building in Nicosia. Firefighters fought the blaze, which started in a ground-floor apartment and completely destroyed that level. The intense heat also caused major structural damage to the floors above. During the fire, a twenty-year-old man who lived in the building was found with life-threatening injuries. He was taken to Nicosia General Hospital, where he remains in a serious but stable condition and needs help to breathe.
Forensic experts quickly decided the fire was started on purpose. This led to a major criminal investigation by Nicosia police, who identified and arrested a suspect. The fifty-year-old man was detained after a judge issued a warrant, based on evidence that seems to connect him to the crime. The reason for this extreme act has not been made public as the investigation continues.
These two investigations show that authorities are focusing strongly on serious property crimes and public safety. The football-related arrests demonstrate a firm position against hooliganism, aiming to prevent future violence through the legal system. The arson case, however, reveals a more calculated form of violence with terrible human and physical costs. Police have stressed they are thoroughly investigating both cases and expect more developments as they examine evidence and court processes begin. The condition of the injured young man is being watched closely as the community deals with the impact of these destructive events.