Amid Turkey Tensions, a Hostile Environment in Greece

"Unfortunately, tension is growing the past three weeks, with the islanders feeling tired of lifting the burden of the so-called refugee crisis all these years," Stravaridis told BIRN.

He said MSF staff on the island of Lesvos had recently faced two violent incidents, resulting in the closure of an MSF clinic on the island for two days.

"This is unprecedented for us," Stravaridis said. "This was the first time in our 30-year presence in Greece we were attacked."

He said the Greek media and government bore part of the responsibility for the polarisation of Greek society.

No 'de-escalation' soon

Asylum seekers, Lesvos island, Greece, 2020. Photo: EPA-EFE/ORESTIS PANAGIOTOU

On Saturday, fire tore through a Lesvos community centre working with refugees and operated by the Swiss NGO 'One Happy Family'. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

Migrants and refugees, aid workers and volunteers have found themselves the targets of angry Greek islanders. Some Greeks on Lesvos have tried to block boats carrying refugees and migrants. Video has also emerged of a group of people dressed in black beating up a German freelance journalists and tossing his camera into the sea.

On March 3, Dutch media reported that aid workers of the Dutch Bootvluchteling foundation were in hiding after being attacked by residents on Lesvos.

Residents of Lesvos and the Greek police have already clashed over government plans to requisition land to build migrant and refugee detention centres.

Lefteris Papagiannakis, Head of Advocacy, Policy and Research at the Athens-based NGO Solidarity Now, said the situation on the islands was more alarming, and potentially longer-lasting, than at the Evros River between...