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107 migrants arrested in Malta for torching cars and injuring a police officer

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107 migrants have been arrested after five staff cars and buildings were set ablaze at a holding center in Malta. The fires left sections of the buildings which migrants stay in destroyed and one policeman injured.

Witnesses say that on Sunday night, violent migrants took control of part the Hal Far reception center, a former British army barracks close to the Malta International Airport, setting fire to several rooms as well as cars belonging to staff, Reuters reports.

A police spokesperson has said the situation was brought back under control in the early hours of Monday morning.

Although it isn’t exactly clear why the violence erupted, some witnesses have said that the riots began after police barred some migrants from entering the center. Other reports indicate that the migrants became violent after not being allowed to leave the center.

Like Greece, Malta’s migrant reception centers have recently come under increased pressure following the arrival of several hundred migrants this summer.

Currently, Hal Far reception center hosts around 1,200 people. Its facilities and resources have both been stretched to their limits.

Italy, Malta, and Greece have had to bear the brunt of the mass illegal migration that occurred over the summer.

In September, interior ministers from five EU member-states agreed to a plan that would see migrants distributed among their countries in order to relieve some of the pressure on southern EU states.

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https://voiceofeurope.com/2019/10/107-migrants-arrested-in-malta-for-torching-cars-and-injuring-a-police-officer/

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