Syrian refugees protest at Russian consulate in Greek city

THESSALONIKI, Greece – About 40 Syrian refugees from camps near Thessaloniki have protested peacefully outside the Russian consulate in the northern Greek port city against Russia’s bombardment of Aleppo.

Refugees burnt a Russian flag and held up placards outside the building, which was heavily guarded by Greek police.

Rizan Ali Hasan, 24, said Wednesday’s protest was prompted by high civilian casualties in Aleppo. “Many children were killed,” he said.

Other protesters held up a banner showing a helicopter and a plane over Aleppo, and the phrase “Russia destroyed us.”

Syrians make up the majority of the 62,000 refugees and other migrants stuck in Greece after a series of Balkan border closures and a European Union deal with Turkey to stop migrant flows.