Eko Hot Blog reports that Cyprus police have arrested dozens of people after a series of violent protests against migrants and refugees on the island.
The latest incident took place in the city of Limassol, where about 500 people took to the streets on Friday evening. The protesters set fire to rubbish bins and vandalized shops, and police used water cannon to disperse them.
Five people were injured in the unrest, and witnesses said some foreigners were attacked.
The violence comes days after similar clashes in the western resort town of Paphos. In that incident, about 20 people were arrested after a group of Greek Cypriots chanted “Get out, get out” at a group of Syrians.
Cyprus is a member of the European Union and says it is a “front-line country” on the Mediterranean migrant route. The island has struggled to cope with an influx of undocumented migrants and refugees, and the latest EU data shows Cyprus has the highest number of first-time asylum applications relative to population in the 27-member bloc.
Authorities said last week that migrants and refugees comprise an estimated 6 percent of the island’s population. The EU’s average is approximately 1 percent.
Refugee camps in Cyprus are overcrowded, and in many places, ghettos have formed where people live in poverty.
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