Police need to crack down on neo-Nazis

IT WAS ENCOURAGING to hear all the political parties taking an unequivocal stand against the attack on a Turkish Cypriot man by a group of Greek Cypriot thugs belonging to the tiny neo-Nazi group Chrysis Avgi (Golden Dawn). All the parties have a moral obligation to condemn such despicable, racist behaviour, which could easily veer out of control if it is not dealt with immediately. A clear message by all the political parties, the government and the media, spelling out that our society would not tolerate such behaviour is an important first step. The attack was unprovoked and took place in a Nicosia caf?. One of the neo-Nazis asked why a group of four men were speaking in English and when he was told that one of them could not speak Greek, he demanded to be told his nationality. When he realised that one man was a Turkish Cypriot he was joined by another five thugs who started beating up their victim. A Greek Cypriot friend of the Turkish Cypriot was also attacked and beaten up. A 28-year-old former policeman was arrested in connection with the assault and remanded in custody for four days.