Kyriakos Mitsotakis called for urgent talks in Athens after 60 people were injured in clashes between island residents and riot police accused of helping smuggle in building materials for the controversial new centres.

The mayors of Lesbos and Chios, islands that sit on the front line of a migration route for refugees and asylum seekers, agreed to meet with the Prime Minister. North Aegean mayor Kostas Moutzouris, however, had his invitation rescinded after he was filmed making an obscene gesture while criticising the Government.

Lesbos and Chios are overwhelmed with refugees fleeing poverty and war in the Middle East through Turkey, with many of the camps there desperately overcrowded. But plans to alleviate the pressure by building more refugee camps were met with violent protests. Police fired tear gas after protesters threw stones at officers, smashing their helmets.