Extreme right groups beat up refugee solidarity members on Chios (video)

Tensions high at Souda hotspot

Tensions at the Souda refugee centre on the island of Chios are flaring up, after an extreme right group reportedly attacked and injured a man and a woman, who belonged to a refugee solidarity movement, outside the hotspot. The new violent incident comes on the heels of riots that erupted Wednesday, when migrants and refugees started throwing fireworks against neighbouring houses and destroyed cars, before police forces repelled and forced them inside the camp. According to accounts, the extreme right group also threw cocktail molotov bombs in the compounds of the refugee centre that burnt three tents. As local news site astraparis.gr reports, the incidents took place in the presence of a police riot unit, which did nothing to stop the attack. The two injured people were transferred to the local hospital for treatment. Police arrested 4 Algerians for the riots on Wednesday, while authorities are still investigating whether more individuals were involved in Wednesday’s attacks. Police said they had not apprehended any Greeks who were reportedly throwing rocks into the hotspot against the refugees during Wednesday’s incident. Despite multiple news sources and eyewitness accounts that individuals had carried out attacks against the migrant hotspot, authorities expressed their surprise on the matter saying they were unaware of any such occurrence. According to some allegations, individuals were seen hurling rocks against migrants and tents in the hotspot risking the lives of the occupants. Meanwhile, the Mayor of Chios, Manolis Vournous called on the Minister for Immigration, John Mouzalas, to assume responsibility for the situation and demanded the refugee centre shut down. The Greek communist party (KKE) alleged that the whole incident was a planned provocation by members of fascist and extreme right groups against the migrants and refugees.