Twenty men armed with axes, crowbars and a pistol attacked a Larnaca businessman in broad daylight on Saturday, firing shots outside a fast-food restaurant on the city’s busiest street—just 100 metres from police headquarters.
The attack occurred at 3pm on Grigori Afxentiou Avenue as Saturday shoppers watched vehicles screech to a halt and disgorge the attackers. The businessman and three others fought back with axes and crowbars before gunfire erupted. Video captured the violence. The two pistol shots missed.
The attack—following three murder attempts and vehicle arsons within a single month last summer—marks the latest escalation in a turf war between rival factions battling for control of the city’s lucrative protection racket.
Police arrested a 48-year-old Cypriot national found wounded at hospital who allegedly orchestrated the violence. The man has served multi-year prison sentences and was recently released on bail after facing fresh criminal charges. He’s now under eight-day detention.
Saturday’s attack followed a systematic extortion campaign. Two weeks earlier, someone from the 48-year-old’s group phoned the businessman demanding €7,000 upfront and €1,000 monthly for “protection”. Telephone threats followed, according to the complaint filed with police.
On Saturday around 2pm, a wanted member of the group appeared at the business brandishing a knife and demanding money again. An hour later, the convoy arrived.
The 20-strong gang demanded payment. When the businessman refused, they started beating him, court documents state. The businessman, a relative and two friends grabbed axes and crowbars and counterattacked in what court testimony described as “proportional force” to protect their physical safety and property. Someone from the attackers then drew a pistol and fired twice outside the packed fast-food outlet.
The protection racket has been operating across Larnaca for weeks. On 9 January, the 48-year-old and 15 others walked into an entertainment centre and told security guards they were taking over protection. The guards refused. The next day, the same group approached another nightclub with the same message. Those guards accepted.
Police learned on 16 January that nightclub owners were paying the 48-year-old €80 per night for each private guard—€50 for the guard’s wages, €30 as the “protection” fee. The systematic collection shows how entrenched the operation had become.
Police were preparing to arrest the 48-year-old yesterday for another attack: the beating of a European citizen in Pyla on Friday, the day before the Larnaca shootout. That victim was also assaulted by multiple people demanding protection money.
Three foreign nationals aged 35, 26 and 20 remain wanted as alleged members of the 48-year-old’s group. Police spokesman Vyron Vyronos said Larnaca’s crime investigation unit is working to identify others involved in Saturday’s attack.
Investigators are examining whether two foreign nationals, aged 28 and 29, played any role. Police found eight 9mm military cartridges during a raid on their Larnaca flat whilst hunting for one of the wanted men. The two were remanded for four days. A 26-year-old also arrested during the raid was released—police determined he had no connection and was at the flat by chance.
Justice and Public Order Minister Fytiri raced to Larnaca Police Headquarters twice yesterday, the second time accompanied by Mayor Vyras. Fytiri announced emergency measures including continuous patrols in critical areas. The situation requires persistence and patience, he said, calling the effort a “battle”.
Vyras said such violence stigmatises the city’s progress and terrifies residents. Whilst the municipality will cooperate with police, combating organised crime doesn’t fall under local government responsibilities, he stressed. Vyras demanded the state as a whole take responsibility and produce a concrete action plan.
Larnaca police director Ioannis Kapnoulas revealed that officers came in voluntarily whilst off-duty to help, with patrols now constantly on the streets.
The President called the episodes unacceptable. Police are moving to arrest everyone involved, he said. Foreign nationals implicated will be arrested, immediately deported and placed on a stop list barring re-entry. Regarding the involvement of Cypriot citizens, he said he didn’t know details but stressed the need for “exemplary punishment”.
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