Unknown vandals are destroying and burning churches in Chalkios, a village located on the island of Chios.
Chalkios' President Vasilis Vigas said locals were furious when they entered Agios Haralambos Church over the weekend and discovered that parts of the parish had intentionally been burnt and vandalised.
Vigas told local reporters this was the third church in the village over the last week that had been vandalised.
According to the President's statement, the vandals smashed the church's window and threw firewood and matches inside, setting fire to the Agia Trapeza.
Locals from the village were recorded saying they are outraged that this is the third church vandalised in the area and they believe illegal migrants are behind the attacks, with thousands of migrants residing in a local camp nearby.
“Agios Haralambos is a church located 500 metres from the migrant camp. This morning, a woman went to light a candle and found that someone had set fire to the Agia Trapeza. They burnt the Holy Gospel and other sacred items. Within a week, this is the third church they have destroyed in our village,” said Vigas.
“The first was the Church of Panagia, they smashed the window there and stole oil and candles; the second was the Church of Agios Petros and Pavlos, where again they burnt parts of the church,” added the President.
Locals were visibly frustrated, saying they can no longer tolerate these attacks and stressed they are worried about what might happen next. One man yelled, “We have no choice, either we leave the village, or we start acting like them. Since nothing is being done, we will take matters into our own hands and start defending what is ours.”
*Watch the video here-
