STRIKE action continued for a second consecutive day on the Greek island of Lesbos today as part of protests against government plans to build new migrant detention centres.

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis called for calm after more than 60 people were injured in overnight clashes with riot police who had been deployed against the protesters.

Mr Mitsotakis is due to meet local officials to discuss the crisis — earlier this week regional governor Kostas Moutzouris and West Lesbos Mayor Taxiarchis Verros joined local residents in a road block against the proposed sites.

Tensions are rising, with the government planning to build new centres to replace overcrowded facilities on Lesbos, Samos, Chios, Leros and Kos.

The islands have become holding pens for migrants thanks to a 2016 deal struck with Turkey and the European Union (EU).

Under the agreement people must stay on the islands pending deportation back to Turkey until their asylum applications are processed.

Thousands have protested at the sites of the proposed new detention centres for the past four days, with riot police firing tear gas and charging crowds with batons.

Residents laid siege to a Lesbos army camp where riot squads were staying on Wednesday. On neighbouring Chios 43 were injured when a crowd burst into a hotel being used by riot police and beat officers resting in their rooms.

Shops and services on Lesbos were shut again today for another 24-hour stoppage. Earlier in the week the local trade-union confederation urged support for the action.

“Nobody should go to work, nobody should go to school, no shop should open.

“We call on all workers, the people of Lesbos, bodies and associations to stand against government plans to turn our island, and other Aegean islands, into a vast prison of human souls,” a statement said.