ATHENS: Migrants in a Greek detention camp threw stones in clashes with police on Tuesday hours after two ferries shipped refugees back to Turkey under a disputed deal intended to stem the human influx into Europe.
Plumes of smoke billowed from the Moria compound on Lesbos island that Pope Francis visited on April 16. Tensions simmering for days boiled over just after the Dutch and the Greek ministers responsible for migration toured the camp.
Garbage bins were set on fire, a police spokesman said, and migrants "were throwing stones and pieces of metal at police". Earlier about 200 youths broke through a partition in the camp.
They were "reacting to their detention conditions and the returns to Turkey," the spokesman said. Rights organisations have expressed misgivings about detention conditions on Moria, which holds about 3,000 people.
"Events at Moria highlight the level of frustration there," said the International Rescue Committee's director for Greece, Panos Navrozidis.
"Many of these refugees have been held at Moria for well over a month with inadequate services available to them and very few answers. They deserve much better."
Police said eight minors were taken slightly hurt to a local hospital after scuffles between groups.
Just over 340 people have so far been returned to Turkey since April 4 under the accord agreed with the European Union in March after more than 1 million people fleeing war and poverty in the Middle East and beyond reached the continent last year.