Migrant protest at Greek detention centre leads to fence breach and arrests
Migrant detainees at a temporary asylum centre in northern Greece clashed with police, cut through a fence and 35 fled, half of whom were later recaptured.
Late Saturday, law-enforcement units were dispatched to a temporary asylum facility in Sintiki, northern Greece, after detainees started hurling stones at guards. The centre, which holds roughly 450 asylum seekers awaiting decisions, became the scene of a violent clash that saw police special forces deploy flash-bang grenades. During the unrest, a section of the perimeter fence was cut, enabling 35 migrants to flee the compound.
By Sunday morning, police reported recapturing 17 escapees while searches continued for an estimated 18 individuals still at large. Five of the migrants sustained injuries and were transported to a local hospital. The incident underscores the heightened tension surrounding Greece’s migration policies.
Why it matters
The breach highlights ongoing challenges in managing migrant detention and security at a key entry point to Europe.
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