Migrant-refugee update: Piraeus packed with refugees, while Moria hotspot uprising suppressed for now (photos+videos)

Government promises for calm before Easter fall short

The Greek government might have been promising that the refugee crisis would be well under control at the hotspots by Easter, but reality has so far proven these promises empty. The atmosphere at the impromptu refugee camps and the organised hotspots resemble a powder keg ready to go off. 2,680 migrants still remain at the port of Piraeus in an impromptu settlement camp, while the situation at the Moria hotspot on the island of Lesvos is even worse, as the widespread violent clashes between migrants and police illustrated, Tuesday. The inspection of the Moria hotspot by Greek Migration Minister Giannis Mouzals with his Dutch counterpart, Klaas Dijkoff was enough to trigger an aggressive outburst from the refugees and migrants, who started rioting and targeting Mouzalas with ‘water bombs’ shouting ‘freedom’ and demanding the borders open. Riot police were immediately deployed to restore order, as the uprising quickly spread to the whole hotspot compound with migrants and refugees attacking police forces with rocks. Very soon the uprising lead to fires in the hotspot and the refugees erecting road barricades. Police then used limited amounts of tear gas to push the rioters back. Late Tuesday NGO workers were evacuated from the hotspot for their safety, before finally a special riot police unit gained control of the compound. According to sources, one police officer was injured during the violent outbreak. There are currently large numbers of security forces outside the compound to prevent another uprising.

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