On 4 March 2020, the U.S. Embassy in Athens issued a Security Alert regarding clashes between authorities and migrants along the border, which reads in part as follows:
“Location: Lesvos, Chios, Samos, and Evros land border
“Event: Large numbers of migrants and refugees are gathered at multiple locations along the Greek-Turkish border. Roadblocks and protests—including some violent clashes—have broken out and continue to occur on the island of Lesvos and the land border in the Evros region. The Embassy has received reports of violence against U.S. citizens attempting to travel in Lesvos.
“The Embassy is in contact with the local authorities regarding the safety and security of U.S. citizens in these locations. At this time, there are no changes to the travel policy for U.S. government personnel or to consular services.
“Actions to Take:
- Consider departing the area if you feel your personal safety is at risk
- Have evacuation plans that do not rely on U.S. government assistance
- Follow instructions from local authorities
- Avoid crowds and demonstrations.”
