At least 25 refugees were detained after they re-occupied Sappho square in Mytilini, Lesvos yesterday. Greek cops cleared the area and detained the refugees. Today was also day 9 of the occupation of Syriza headquarters on Lesvos.
Image: Riot cops on Sappho square in Mytilini, Lesvos (Greece). Image by No Border Lesvos Facebook page.
Police Crackdown Against Protesting RefugeesGR on Lesvos
At least 25 refugees were detained after they re-occupied Sappho square in Mytilini, Lesvos yesterday. Greek cops cleared the area and detained the refugees. Today was also day 9 of the occupation of Syriza headquarters on Lesvos.
There are conflicting reports about the number of detained refugees. Greek media reported 25 detentions, but local activists reported higher numbers.
Arash Hampay wrote on his Facebook profile: “Tonight 30 other refugees also came out of Moria camp and started their sit-in in Mytilini square, but the police caught all of them and put them in prison, so we now need a lawyer for them. Most of them are from Africa.The reason we need legal advice is because we can expect the police to act in an illegal manner. This was evident in the way in which they treated my brother – threatening to deport him!”
No Border Kitchen Lesvos reported on their Facebook page that around 27 people were detained during the police operation. The No Border Kitchen crew wrote: “27 people were arrested following a protest against the conditions in Moria camp. In the evening a group of refugees walked from Moria to Mytilini following another day of violence in the camp. They went to saphous square to protest and refused to go back to the horrible conditions in Moria. Very shortly after they arrived the police came to the square and arrested the people there. All of them were brought to the police station. Only 8 people were released on the same evening as far as we know. The remaining protesters are still detained now. The reason for their detention is unclear. They did not do anything illegal by staying in a public square and did not break any law. The police accuses them of having had tents and therefore illegally camping. We know that this is not true, there was no tents on saphous square. Most of them also have valid papers, as far as we know. It seems that their detention is purly repression attempting to stop anyone from raising their voices against the unbearable conditions on Lesbos.” Follow No Border Kitchen Lesvos on Twitter or Facebook for updates.
Today was also the 9th day of the occupation of the local headquarters of the Greek governing party Syriza on Lesvos. The office was occupied on November 25 after a demonstration for the freedom of movement and against deportations.
Source: Enough is Enough >>>