A court-ordered eviction in Limassol turned into a major police incident on Wednesday morning. A 65-year-old woman threatened to cause an explosion, leading to a four-hour standoff. The situation ended peacefully when she agreed to leave her apartment. She was then taken to hospital for a psychological evaluation. The eviction process has been stopped for now.
The incident began when court officials arrived to carry out the eviction. Faced with losing her home, the woman locked herself inside. She then made serious threats, saying she would set fire to gas canisters. Her son, worried about her safety, called the police. This started a large emergency response.
Police, including crisis negotiators and senior officers, quickly arrived at the scene. Assistant Police Director Marinos Vassiliou stated that protecting the public was their main concern. They blocked off the area around the building in the Agios Ioannis district as a safety measure. Firefighters were also placed on standby in case of a fire or explosion.
Negotiators then began talking carefully with the woman from a safe distance. Their first goal was to get her to hand over the gas canisters, which were the biggest danger. After a long discussion, she agreed to do this. This was a key step in reducing the risk. Later, after more talks, she also agreed to leave the apartment on her own and go for a medical check.
Once the immediate danger was over, the woman was taken to a medical facility. Thankfully, no one was hurt during the incident—not the woman, the emergency teams, or the public. The court officials left without completing the eviction. They will now report what happened to the court, which will decide the next legal steps.
This event shows how evictions can become very serious, especially when people are in a state of extreme distress or have mental health difficulties. While the law must be followed, the human reaction can require a large and complex police operation. The case has now returned to the court system, which must consider both the law and the human issues involved.