A decision to demolish the Roma camp at the northern suburb of Halandri in Athens has sparked conflict between the police and members of the Roma community. Early on Tuesday morning, around 40 protestors had gathered at Mesogeion Avenue showing their dissatisfaction by torching rubber tyres and blocking traffic.

The Roma camp has been in the region for 40 years. The decision to transfer the camp from the Mint to Megara in West Attica has met with the Roma community’s anger and disapproval.

General Secretary of the Decentralized Administration of Attica, Manolis Angelakas, rendered the settlement as illegal and in violation of property laws, however the members of the community state that moving them to an isolated region would distance them from schools and medical services.

Those opposed to the demolition of the settlement state that it is in direct contrast to Greece’s commitments to the United Nations. Halandri’s Mayor Simos Roussos is one of the people against the arbitrary removal of Roma citizens stating that “a solution can’t be found in such an authoritarian way and by such means.” He believes that the decision isn’t viable and believes that the move could be in retaliation to the fact that he was one of the mayors opposed to the government’s evaluation scheme for permanent public servants in his municipality.