Migrant operation to be expanded, Athens mayor warns against ‘fascist gangs’
Greek police are planning to extend the Xenios Zeus operation, which has seen more than 1,600 immigrants arrested this month, to other major cities, according to reports.
Officers detained another 50 migrants on August 15, of whom 11 were later arrested for not having residence papers.
Since the operation began earlier this month, just over 8,000 migrants have been detained, leading to 1,673 arrests.
Meanwhile, Athens Mayor Giorgos Kaminis has called on the government and citizens to stand against racist attacks on migrants. One immigrant group claims that more than 500 migrants have been physically attacked over the last six months.
An Iraqi man was stabbed to death in Athens last weekend. Nobody has yet been arrested for the attack.
?When fellow human beings are being stabbed in the street on almost a daily basis, society has to be alert and the state has to abide by its commitment to lead the perpetrators to justice,? said Kaminis.
Kaminis attributed the attacks to ?gangs of motorcycle-riding fascists trying to take the law into their own hands.?
