Hundreds clash with police at Bulgaria’s Harmanli refugee centre
Hundreds of residents of the Harmanli refugee centre in Bulgaria clashed on November 24 with police and gendarmerie, who fired water cannon as the crowd hurled stones and set fires.
Several buildings were damaged in the clashes, including the dining room and the new registration centre.
Tyres, mattresses and broken pieces of furniture were set alight.
Firefighters were deployed to the scene, along with additional law enforcement reinforcements.
It was not immediately known what had led to the clashes, though there were reports that migrants and refugees at the centre had been attempting to leave the camp.
Earlier this week, it was announced that the camp had been placed under quarantine because of fears among residents of the town that the people in the camp had communicable skin diseases. Cases of malaria also were reported.
Bulgarian authorities said that there were no medical reasons to seal off the camp but this was being done in response to protests by Harmanli town residents.
About 3000 people are accommodated at the Harmanli centre.
(Screenshot via bTV)
/Politics