On Monday’s CBS This Morning, co-host Charlie Rose fretted over a “contentious new agreement” to start deporting Middle Eastern refugees from Europe back to Turkey, despite the protests of “human rights groups.”
In the report that followed from Greece, correspondent Holly Williams blasted the move: “What happened here today at the port in Lesvos is extremely controversial. That probably explains the heavy police presence, the cordon that we and other journalists were held behind, and the fact we were not allowed to speak with the people who are being loaded onto boats.”
Moments later, she warned that “human rights groups say that shipping people back to Turkey could be illegal under international law.” She noted that “migrants here in Greece have rioted and there was even a breakout from a detention center on the island of Chios.”
At no point in the story did Williams mention the threat of terrorism posed by the massive influx of migrants from Syria and Iraq, particularly in the wake of the attacks in Brussels. She also completely ignored hundreds of cases of sexual assault by refugees in countries like Germany.
Instead, she concluded the segment by proclaiming: “...what we don't know is whether this will affect the flow of desperate people, many of whom are fleeing war and hoping for a better life here in Europe.”
Here is a full transcript of the April 4 report:
8:06 AM ET
CHARLIE ROSE: In Europe this morning, they began reversing the flow of migrants to the continent under a contentious new agreement. Boats carrying more than 200 people back to Turkey sail early today from two Greek islands. Human rights groups are protesting. Holly Williams is on the Greek island of Lesvos, where she witnessed the deportation. Holly, good morning.
[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: Migrants Forced Out; Hundreds of Refugees Put on Boats Back to Turkey]
HOLLY WILLIAMS: Good morning. What happened here today at the port in Lesvos is extremely controversial. That probably explains the heavy police presence...
UNIDENTIFIED MAN [GREEK POLICE OFFICER]: No, no, don't.
WILLIAMS: ...the cordon that we and other journalists were held behind, and the fact we were not allowed to speak with the people who are being loaded onto boats.
European governments agree that they want to stop or at least slow the influx of migrants. This year so far, more than 150,000 people have made the risky crossing from Turkey to Greece. More than 120 have died.
But human rights groups say that shipping people back to Turkey could be illegal under international law. In recent days, migrants here in Greece have rioted and there was even a breakout from a detention center on the island of Chios.
Under this new system, for every person shipped back to Turkey, Europe will accept one refuge from a Turkish camp who’s already been vetted. But what we don't know is whether this will affect the flow of desperate people, many of whom are fleeing war and hoping for a better life here in Europe. Norah?
NORAH O’DONNELL: Alright, Holly Williams there in Greece, thank you so much.
