Witness testimonies are being collected as police investigate a case of alleged unprovoked beating by a group of minors against a 14-year-old boy and his father at an Aglandjia gymnasium on Saturday, police said on Monday.

“The incident was an unprovoked attack by older students who do not attend the school and should not have been there at that time,” Aglandjia deputy mayor Andreas Constantinou said.

The incident took place at around 9.20pm on Saturday during a school event, when a 14-year-old Greek Cypriot student was attacked by a group of five to six other youths.

The 14-year-old immediately called his 45-year-old father to come to school, who after arriving, found the alleged attacker at the scene with his own father and other minors.

Police said a fight broke out between them and the authorities were called by the deputy mayor.

The 45-year-old father and the 14-year-old student were taken to hospital, where it was determined that the student had suffered a broken nose, while his father had abrasions and bruises on various parts of his body.

Both the other minor and his father in addition to other minors also visited the hospital.

Relatives of the 14-year-old said the attacker’s father was already on the school premises at the time of the beating.

After those involved had dispersed, a pocket-knife was found on left on the ground.

An eyewitness told the Cyprus Mail that three gangs in the area have been terrorising the students for the past two years, with two of them involved in Saturday’s incidents.

The same gang, a few days prior, they said, had asked the eyewitness’ son who is a student at the gymnasium what he wanted, after which the student fled when he realised the gang carried a knife.

“The intervention of the police was lifesaving, after pointing out that these such incidents frequently involve this particular tribe,” Constantinou said.

President of the Aglandjia gymnasium parents’ association Andreas Pierides requested additional measures to enhance security on school grounds.

“There is one guard but two more will be joining him, while at some point we must decide to install security camera system in the school’s exterior,” he said.

On Monday morning, another group of students, attempted to break into the gymnasium to attack its students but were prevented by the police patrolling in the area.

Two of the students were taken to the police station as they were known to the authorities and are being handled based on the relevant legislation regarding children in conflict with the law.

“There are two or three groups in the area that are outside the school every afternoon and harass children,” Pierides said.

Akel on Monday, said that “illegality and intimidation must be struck at the root and what is important is that every neighbourhood in Nicosia is safe.”

Elam added that Cypriot society can no longer bear to live in fear and insecurity, and demanded the punishment of the perpetrators, who it said only had the courage to carry out such actions because they know there will be no consequences.