Racist vandalism as stream of evacuees continues
A school facility in Larnaca intended to be used as temporary accommodation for foreign nationals fleeing from Lebanon has been hit by racist vandals, it emerged on Monday.
Meanwhile, the steady stream of evacuations through Cyprus is proceeding amid heightened security measures, the foreign and justice ministries said.
The school, Kition gymnasium, appears to have been unguarded when the incidents occurred over the weekend.
Perpetrators smashed windows, wrote and drew signs on the walls, including swastikas and slogans roughly translatable as “Death to Losers”.
The decision over the intended use of the school had previously come under fire, Philenewsreported, after the civil defence undertook to prepare the school for the purpose on Friday.
The school board said it was not the competent authority for comment as the decision to requisition the school was taken at the ministry level.
Larnaca School Board head Damianos Minas confirmed the main damages were smashed windows and slogans spray painted throughout the school and in its multipurpose hall, where the evacuees were to be housed.
A police investigation is underway to identify and locate the perpetrators.
Meanwhile, evacuation of foreign nationals through Cyprus is proceeding at a steady pace, foreign ministry spokesman Theodoros Gotsis told state broadcaster CyBC, with commercial airlines aiming to increase the number of flights on offer.
He said around 1,000 people had transited through the island at the weekend, including 860 Australians on four flights, around 400 of whom who have already left. There were also around 100 Slovakian nationals brought to the island by a charter flight.
Two flights are expected to arrive on Monday at Larnaca airport, carrying more Australians.
Gotsis said both Larnaca and Paphos airports were coping with the heightened traffic despite queues and the necessary inconvenience, exacerbated by boosted security protocols.
Most travellers transit through the island and depart for their final destinations within a matter of days, he said.
Those fleeing are being temporarily hosted in state facilities, unless they require specialised medical care, in which case they are hosted at neighbouring hotels.
The Estia plan is in action, Gotsis said with the cooperation of the Cyprus Red Cross and the Civil Defence, as well as other state services.
Police are also on a heightened alert, Justice Minister Marios Hartsiotis told CyBC, with increased numbers of officers near facilities which could become potential targets of racist attacks.
Flights by Israeli airlines between Tel Aviv and Larnaca, carrying Israeli nationals who are fleeing Israel, are ongoing, the Cyprus News Agency (CNA) reported.
Eight arrivals from Tel Aviv and nice departures to Israel are scheduled from Larnaca airport on Monday, according to information from airport operator Hermes, CNA said.
By sea, private vessels continue to arrive at Larnaca and Ayia Napa marinas carrying European nationals and diplomatic staff.