Police and migrant protests intensify at Serres detention centre despite relocation attempts

In Serres, weekly protests by incarcerated migrants persist despite the government's attempts to disperse them by transferring detainees to other locations. Around 214 individuals remain in the centre after a recent transfer of 45 Bangladeshi nationals to a facility in Corinth. On the latest occasion, roughly 50 migrants tried to dismantle the remaining barrier and were met with extensive use of chemical spray by police.

The local police union and the Panhellenic Federation of Police Officers inspected the site, describing the conditions as substandard and demanding immediate closure. Federation president Christos Mavraganis criticized the ministry for neglect and highlighted that the facility, built for 220 people, now houses over 600, far exceeding safety limits. Police leadership has refused entry to the union delegation, underscoring the ongoing stalemate.