The camp, already a bleak emblem of Europe’s migrant policy, was locked down after a coronavirus outbreak, prompting some asylum seekers to set fires that left thousands homeless.
Tag: Lesbos (Greece)
Pandemic Collides With Europe’s Migrant Crisis to Set Off a Calamity in Greece
Frustrated asylum seekers lit fires this week in protest over lockdowns that worsened cramped and squalid conditions on Lesbos. Now 12,000 migrants are homeless.
Fire Destroys Most of Europe’s Largest Refugee Camp, on Greek Island of Lesbos
Campaigners have long warned that the overcrowded conditions at the impoverished camp might lead to catastrophe.
Vigilantes in Greece Say ‘No More’ to Migrants
Frustrated and exhausted by the lingering problems from the 2015 crisis, Greeks once generous with refugees are turning hostile, some violently.
Riot Police Pulled From Greek Islands After Clashes Over New Camps
Dozens of officers sent to guard sites for planned migrant camps were injured; two had shotgun wounds. Ten residents were also hurt in the escalating protests.
Greece Announces Steps to Shut Down Notorious Refugee Camps
The government’s plan to redistribute asylum seekers was presented as a more humane alternative, but it was also clearly intended to deter new arrivals.
Riots Erupt at Greek Migrant Camp on Lesbos After Deadly Fire
The authorities said the situation had stabilized, but others saw a need for more urgent action at the chronically overcrowded facilities.
Migration to Greece Is Rising, as Erdogan Warns of Still More
The rate of arrivals is still just a fraction of the 2015 peak, but comes as Turkey threatens to allow a wave of migrants to pass through Turkey to Europe.