A refugee and migrant camp on the Greek island of Lesvos has been evacuated, following a large fire that swept through the camp on Monday night.
Tents and prefabricated homes were destroyed, resulting in the evacuation of some 4,000 residents with nobody injured, reports Kathimerini.
While the cause is yet unknown, authorities have ruled out that it was started by frustrated migrants.
The blaze commenced soon after a large group of residents were escorted back to the camp by police following a rally calling on government officials to reduce the number of migrants and refugees staying there.
Organised by locals, the rally was attended by around 500 residents, including ultra-nationalists part of the Patriotic Movement of Lesvos, to protest the presence of migrants on the island.
According to local media reports, tensions ran high, with a group of some 15 men, who were chanting anti-migrant slogans, assaulting three female university students, one of which is a volunteer working with migrants.
Lesvos Mayor Spyros Galinos also came under attack. In her attempt to address protesters chanting “throw them in the sea”, the negative attention was then directed at the mayor personally.
