Syrian
refugees arrive at a beach on the Greek island of Kos after crossing a
part of the Aegean sea from Turkey to Greece in a dinghy on August 15,
2015 in Kos, Greece. Photo / Getty Images
The Greek island of Kos was the scene of further unrest on Saturday,
as migrants desperate to get off the island fought each other in the
searing heat.
The riot police beat back the crowd with batons during the brief affray. Photo / Daily Telegraph A passenger ship chartered to house and process refugees
lay empty, 24 hours after it had arrived, as the migrants fought to
board.
Migrants wait outsie the police station
which serves as their registration center in the town of Kos at the
southeastern Greek island of Kos, on August 15, 2015. Photo / Getty
Images Authorities in Greece have said that the Syrians will be
allowed to board, as they are classed as refugees. The Pakistanis,
Afghans and Iranians - whose status is less clear cut - reacted by
scuffling outside the police station as the riot police looked on,
throwing stones and trading punches.
To rival chants of "Afghanistan!", "Pakistan!" and "Iran!", fists and stones flew.
At least one man was kicked on the ground, while others
wandered around with blood on their faces. Later, a group of Iranians
tried to break the police line blocking access to the police station.
A dinghy with Syrian refugees arrives at a
beach on the Greek island of Kos after rossing a part of the Aegean sea
from Turkey to Greece on August 15, 2015 in Kos, Greece. Photo / Getty
Images The riot police beat back the crowd with batons during the brief affray.
Tensions
have been high on the island since the wave of migrants - mainly Syrian
and Afghan refugees - began arriving in the early summer. Greece has
now overtaken Italy as the most popular landing spot in Europe, with the
United Nations refugee agency UNHCR saying that 124,000 had landed on
Greek islands this year. A total of 98,000 have arrived in Italy.
Last
week the UNHCR called conditions for migrants on Kos and other islands
"shameful", and said about 3,000 migrants and refugees were waiting to
be registered by police.
"While they wait, they have to endure
inadequate living conditions and little or no assistance," said William
Spindler, UNHCR spokesman in Geneva. "There is a great deal of
frustration and rising tensions. We call on the Greek authorities to
renew their efforts to provide decent reception conditions to refugees
arriving in Greece."
On Tuesday a crowd of migrants waiting to be
registered were sprayed by police with fire extinguisher foam, causing
the crowd to panic and dart through the streets. The images went around
the world, causing immense harm to an island which depends heavily on
tourism.
A Syrian family arrives at a beach on the
Greek island of Kos after crossing a part of the Aegean sea from Turkey
to Greece in a dinghy on August 15, 2015 in Kos, Greece. Photo / Getty
Images Athens responded by sending in squads of riot police on
Wednesday. But, with hundreds of migrants making the short boat crossing
from Turkey every day, they appeared powerless.
The coast guard
in Kos said it had rescued 212 people on the island's northeastern coast
on Saturday, who were in four inflatable dinghies and one speedboat.
"This
situation on the island is out of control," said Giorgios Kyritsis,
mayor of Kos, on Tuesday. "There is a real danger of uncontrollable
situations. Blood will be shed."
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