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Story May 20, 2016

Protests, Violence and Tears at Unofficial Refugee Camp in Greece

Country:

Greece

Authors:

Jeanne Carstensen
Grantee

Jodi Hilton
Grantee

Jamila, an asylum-seeker from Iran and mother of four, is now staying with her children and grandchildren at the City Plaza Hotel in Athens, home to 300-plus immigrants, many of whom were staying in camps before the hotel was established as an alternative. Image by Jodi Hilton. Greece, 2016.

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The Syrian refugee crisis is changing both refugee communities and their host countries.

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Protesting migrants pushed an abandoned train wagon toward the border during a protest on May 18 at Idomeni camp. Clashes ensued between Greek police, who fired tear gas and stun grenades and immigrants. Image by Jodi Hilton. Greece, 2016.

An immigrant throws rocks at Greek police at the Idomeni camp. Clashes started when immigrants commandeered an empty train wagon and pushed it toward the Macedonian border. They were stopped by Greek police, who fired tear gas and stun grenades. Image by Jodi Hilton. Greece, 2016.

This migrant suffered injuries during the clashes at Idomeni camp. Image by Jodi Hilton. Greece, 2016.

Families run after tear gas was fired by Greek police during the clashes. Image by Jodi Hilton. Greece, 2016.

A protester walks past a fire lit during clashes at the camp. Image by Jodi Hilton. Greece, 2016.

A disabled Syrian refugee wipes his eyes after exposure to tear gas. Image by Jodi Hilton. Greece, 2016.

Leen Issa comforts her daughter, 11-year-old Rezan, who was suffering from the effects of tear gas exposure from clashes the previous night. Rezan had open heart surgery as a baby and still suffers from a heart condition. The family from Syria lives in tents positioned on the train tracks in Idomeni, an informal camp on the Greek side of the Greek Macedonian border. Image by Jodi Hilton. Greece, 2016.

Anas Nashwati, 22, and his mother, Maryam Boura, leaving Idomeni for a new camp near Thessaloniki, the day after clashes between immigrants and Greek police ended in tear gas. The family (of three, including his sister, 16) were living aboard a train parked at the station when the clashes started. 'We closed all the windows but still the tear gas came in. My mother, who has problems breathing, is still suffering. We can't live here,' explained Nashwati. Image by Jodi Hilton. Greece, 2016.

There are some 10,000 people in an unofficial refugee camp in Idomeni, Greece. Many have been living at the camp for months, essentially in limbo.

As Jeanne Carstensen reports in this broadcast, months of waiting and desperation can make tempers flare. That's what happened last night in Idomeni, and police responded with tear gas.

Photographer Jodi Hilton, who has been reporting from the camp this week, witnessed what happened and sent us these images.

WHERE WE REPORT

Protests, Violence and Tears at Unofficial Refugee Camp in Greece

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Surviving Fortress Europe

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