Clashes around Greek island refugee camps

By Idyli Tsakiri

ATHENS

Violence broke out on two Greek islands housing refugees Wednesday night, local media said.

Clashes between migrants erupted at the Moria migrant camp on Lesbos at around 1.00 a.m. local time (2200GMT) when Afghans attacked North Africans with sticks and stones, the Proto Thema newspaper reported.

Several people were given medical treatment by NGO staff at the site.

On Chios, a demonstration by local residents against the government’s handling of the refugee crisis turned violent when marchers were blocked by police as they attempted to reach refugee camps on the island, the Politis newspaper reported.

Police fired tear gas and two people were injured before around 150 protesters, who chanted anti-migrant slogans and sang the national anthem, succeeded in approaching a camp to be met by stone-throwing migrants.

Police again used tear gas to break up the clashes, Politis said, and a member of NGO staff was arrested.

Both islands, which are situated off Turkey’s western coast, are overcrowded with migrants. Camps on Lesbos, which are designed to hold around 3,500, currently hold more than 5,500 while those on Chios, where there is capacity for 1,100, accommodates more than 3,500.

Further demonstrations are planned on both islands over the coming days, with locals complaining their communities cannot support the level of refugees.