Violence broke out in a car park beside the AEK Arena in Larnaca on Thursday evening, roughly an hour before Beitar Jerusalem's Conference League qualifier against AEK Larnaca, after a group of home supporters set upon Israeli fans arriving for the match, ONE reported.
Several Beitar supporters were hurt in the assault, including facial injuries, according to ONE. Two of the Israelis required medical treatment but not intensive care, and one Cypriot fan was also injured in the melee before police and stadium security moved in to separate the two groups.
"Larnaca supporters attacked us. We have fans who are bleeding," ONE quoted Beitar fans at the scene as saying. They described being set upon at the stadium entrance while members of La Familia, the club's main ultras group, had already gone inside to prepare their pre-match choreography.
Accounts of the arrests varied slightly by outlet. ONE reported that six Cypriot suspects were detained along with one Israeli, while Ynet, citing its own sourcing, put the figure at seven Cypriots and two Beitar supporters arrested. Both versions agree that police moved to make multiple arrests on each side as they worked to restore order before kickoff.
National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir condemned the attack, calling it, per ONE, "a serious event that demonstrates antisemitism rising in Europe," and urged Cypriot authorities to "act decisively against the rioters and ensure the safety of Israelis."
The warning signs had been building for hours. Israel's Diaspora and Combating Antisemitism Ministry said Thursday evening it was monitoring reports of violent altercations around the fixture and cautioned that clashes between the two sets of fans could still escalate, according to the Jerusalem Post.
Tension had already flared the night before travel-day incidents at the team's hotel. Beitar Jerusalem issued a statement denying Cypriot media reports that its own supporters had vandalized property on Larnaca's streets, saying the local police commander confirmed to the club that Beitar fans caused no damage in the city. The club instead said tear gas deployed by police was used against AEK Larnaca supporters who "initiated an attempt to confront" the visiting fans. Management at the team's hotel, the Radisson, separately reported graffiti and a smell of cannabis smoke in the courtyard overnight, per Ynet.
The match itself went ahead as scheduled at the AEK Arena – Georgios Karapatakis, AEK Larnaca's home ground since 2016, in the second qualifying round of the Conference League.
On the pitch, Beitar Jerusalem came away with a 1-0 win, with Bryan Cravely scoring the only goal of the match in the 77th minute, according to Ynet.
The return leg is scheduled for Thursday, July 30, with Beitar's home fixture set to be staged in Romania rather than Israel, Ynet reported, though the exact venue has not yet been specified.
