In night of violence, Greeks try to block access to migrant camp building sites

Police in riot gear threw teargas and fired water cannon at Greek islanders as they tried to prevent access to construction sites for new migrant detention centres by setting fires, hurling flares and blockading the gates.

Locals on Lesvos and Chios are worried that the centres, which would replace temporary camps with open access, will leave the islands permanently overcrowded.

Vowing to press on with the building work, authorities say closed centres will offer greater public safety and limit potential health risks, particularly given the potential spread of the coronavirus in other countries.

"It is clearly evident that matters such as the coronavirus can be dealt with swiftly and effectively in a closed facility and not an anarchic, open facility which is a health time bomb," government spokesman Stelios Petsas said.

There are currently no cases in...