A new revolt broke out this weekend in the Turin migrant repatriation center. Migrants set some structures on fire on Sunday, November 24, following a hunger strike declared by others on Saturday.
A revolt broke out Sunday evening at the Turin migrant repatriation center (CPR) located on Corso Brunelleschi. A group of guests set fire to eight housing units. Several firefighting squads worked for over an hour to put out the blaze.
The fire took place in the so-called "yellow" and "purple" wings of the complex.
Hunger strike against living conditions
The yellow and purple wings of the building were also at the center of actions on Saturday, November 23, where a group from an anarchist community declared a hunger strike to protest against conditions in the structure, the food served there, the length of stays for identification, and "inefficient" health care.
Police intervention brought calm back to the center, the only CPR still active in northern Italy. However, tensions have been frequent since the beginning of September, when the arrival of new people from other provinces destabilized an already precarious equilibrium.
Previous cases of tension
This is not the first time that incidents have been reported at the center. During the night between Thursday, August 29, and Friday, August 30, a group of guests in the center set fire to mattresses and tore up furniture throwing it at police. One person even climbed a fence in an attempt to escape.
Riots took place again during the night between Friday, August 31, and Saturday, September 1, and on the afternoon of Sunday, September 2, when some men started throwing rocks at police officers. Three people were arrested during that incident. One police officer was injured, sustaining two fractured fingers, necessitating a 30-day recovery time. On September 14, four guests in the center tried to escape. A security guard was injured in the resulting clashes with law enforcement. He was assaulted by those who were trying to escape, and had injuries that required seven days to heal.