Kos residents opposing the establishment of a migrant registration center on the island blocked National Defense Minister Panos Kammenos from approaching the planned site.
Greece’s defense ministry in collaboration with migration authorities are to set up five migrant registration centers (hotspots) on Greek islands where thousands of migrants land weekly coming from nearby Turkey.
On Wednesday morning a riot police unit arrived at Kos and took position near the site where the hotspot is to be built. Hundreds of indignant residents arrived on the spot in order to protest and block access to the site. They booed the riot police and shouted slogans against Kammenos and the government.
Things escalated when the protesters moved towards the policemen who had to use teargas to push them away.
The defense minister was scheduled to arrive on the island by army helicopter and land at the airport. However, the large gathering of angry protesters and their minor clash with the police made him change his plans and his helicopter landed on a field far from the hotspot site.
According to the defense ministry, Kammenos inspected the site from the helicopter and didn’t stay at Kos.
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