Locals and humanitarian workers describe witnessing physical attacks, harassment and intimidation against those who offer help to migrants -- with apparent impunity. The cause of the fire is unknown, but the incident further spread fear among humanitarian workers. NGO workers CNN spoke to said police failed to intervene when conflict arose with local residents. Mytilene's adviser to the mayor says the municipality condemns the violence that humanitarian workers have been subjected to but chalk it up to long-simmering grievances on the island. Koufopoulou and other humanitarian workers say they doubt that vigilante and police violence are spontaneous.

Source: CNN March 10, 2020 16:41 UTC