A group of twenty migrants staged a violent protest at the Italian government-run migrant center in Gjadër, where 40 foreign nationals had recently been repatriated from Italy following deportation orders.
According to reports, the protest quickly turned chaotic as the migrants damaged the center’s furniture and infrastructure. Broken windows, destroyed mattresses, and looted accommodations were among the visible signs of the destruction caused during the outburst.
In an alarming escalation, three of the protesting migrants reportedly inflicted knife wounds on themselves in what appeared to be a desperate act of protest, prompting immediate medical intervention. Fortunately, none of the injuries were life-threatening.
Meanwhile, one migrant whose deportation order was annulled has already returned to Italy.
Italian Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi commented on the incident, clarifying that these individuals were not what he called “ordinary migrants.” He revealed that many of the repatriated persons had been accused or convicted of serious crimes in Italy, including attempted murder, sexual assault, grievous bodily harm, child pornography, theft, robbery, corruption of minors, and drug possession.
The incident has reignited debate around the Italian government’s deportation policy and the conditions within centers hosting repatriated individuals. Security measures at the Gjadër facility are expected to be reviewed in the wake of the unrest.