Turkish Cypriot Youths Attacked by Greek-speaking Group in Trodos

Speaking to the Turkish Cypriot News Agency (TAK), the young people recounted the incident and expressed their distress. Taking advantage of the holiday, the 8 young people went to Trodos with three cars yesterday, playing in the snow and having a good time. However, they encountered a sad event on their way back.

According to the account provided by the young people:

"Traveling in three cars, the Turkish Cypriot youths entered the Platania picnic area to take photos of the beautiful scenery on their way back. At the entrance of the park, three cars with South Cyprus plates were parked, with 5-6 people aged 25-35 drinking alcohol and chatting. The aggressive group initially made hand gestures towards the cars, and when they saw that the young people, who were parked 200 meters away, got out of their cars, they started to approach them.

Unaware that they would be attacked until that moment, the Turkish Cypriot youths noticed that the increasing number of aggressors had sticks wrapped with some carrying Greek flags and stones in their hands. One of the aggressors, who had stuck a half A4-sized sticker on one of the cars and punched the window, approached one of the youths wearing a Galatasaray emblem and punched it. Another young person was injured by punches and stones.

Upon this, the Turkish Cypriot youths, trying to escape by running, were surrounded by the aggressors, who opened their arms and started saying 'ela' (come). One of the youths slipped on the muddy ground while running, and one of the aggressors hit him twice on the left shoulder with a stick as he tried to protect his head with his hands. When the injured young person moved on the ground, the aggressor struck him for the third time with the stick, causing it to break. The injured young person started running towards the park to find his friends. After a chase in the wooded area, he found one of his friends and continued running towards the road. Going to a restaurant to connect to the internet, the young people, having a UK phone number among them, called their friends working in the south to find each other.

Meanwhile, one of the young people who was attacked stopped a passing woman driver, told her about the bad incident, and asked for help. Although the woman said she would stop her car, turn on the hazard lights, and call the police, she quickly left the scene without making the call."

Returning to the north in fear, the 8 young people informed their families about the incident, and those who were physically assaulted received outpatient treatment at the Nicosia Dr. Burhan Nalbantoğlu State Hospital.

Source: TAK