Clashes between refugees and Greek police on Lesbos
Refugees on the island of Lesbos have once again demonstrated against their deportation to Turkey, clashing with police for hours. At least ten people have been injured in the unrest and clashes with Greek police.
The Moria camp on the Greek island of Lesbos was the scene of protests by refugees against being sent back to Türkiye. The unrest escalated on Tuesday evening (April 26).
According to local radio station Moria, officers deployed to quell the anger of the refugees clashed with them for hours. The clashes were so intense that ten people were injured. Reports indicate that the injuries were minor.
Protesters threw water bottles and other objects at Greece's migration minister, Yannis Mouzalas. Some set fire to trash cans or threw stones at officers. Greek police fired tear gas to disperse the protesters.
A video posted on YouTube shows a person lying motionless on the ground.
Reporters on the scene reported an explosive situation in the camp. On Wednesday morning (April 27), Greek police forces were able to restore order and calm in the Moria camp.
Refugees living there have consistently protested their deportation from Greece and return to Turkey, saying their detention conditions in Turkey would be far worse than those in the camp.
The Greek government on Wednesday returned 49 migrants who had entered the country illegally to Turkey. The move is based on an EU-Turkey deal, according to which all those who have crossed illegally from Turkey to Greece since March 20 of this year will be returned to their country of origin.
According to official figures, there are currently more than 7,700 registered refugees on the Greek island of Lesbos. Last week, Greek police cleared a self-run camp on a beach that was home to hundreds of refugees.
The situation for refugees on the Greek islands is generally tense. Three weeks ago, refugees occupied the port area in Chios for about a week to protest against being returned to Turkey. Supporters of right-wing groups on the island also staged a protest against the closure of the port to ships, which led to clashes between them and the refugees.
Source: Deutsche Welle
