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Europe Struggles to Respond to Deepening Migrant Crisis Chaos at Train Station as Migrants Are Stranded in Hungary
(34 minutes later)
LONDON — Some 2,000 migrants remained stranded near the Keleti train station in central Budapest on Wednesday, and hundreds of passengers were delayed overnight on five Eurostar trains after migrants blocked tracks near the French port of Calais, as Europe continued to grapple with a surge of desperate refugees. LONDON — About 2,000 migrants remained stranded near the Keleti train station in central Budapest on Wednesday, and hundreds of passengers were delayed overnight on five Eurostar trains after migrants blocked tracks near the French port of Calais, as Europe continued to grapple with a surge of desperate migrants.
In southern Europe, at least 11 migrants drowned when two boats sank after leaving southwest Turkey for the Greek island of Kos, Reuters reported, citing the Turkish news agency Dogan.In southern Europe, at least 11 migrants drowned when two boats sank after leaving southwest Turkey for the Greek island of Kos, Reuters reported, citing the Turkish news agency Dogan.
The developments served as a reminder that while much of the focus of Europe’s humanitarian crisis in recent days has been on the influx to Hungary, Austria and Germany, countries across the Continent are still struggling to deal with the increasing numbers of migrants.The developments served as a reminder that while much of the focus of Europe’s humanitarian crisis in recent days has been on the influx to Hungary, Austria and Germany, countries across the Continent are still struggling to deal with the increasing numbers of migrants.
The Keleti station has become a hot spot of the migration crisis, and it was still cordoned off Wednesday to prevent migrants from entering. About 100 migrants erupted in protest early Wednesday morning at the restrictions preventing them from reaching Germany, a favored destination. The Keleti station has become a hot spot of the migration crisis, and it was still cordoned off Wednesday to prevent migrants from entering. About 100 migrants erupted in protest early Wednesday at the restrictions preventing them from reaching Germany, a favored destination.
The demonstrators chanted “Go! Go! Go! Germany! Germany! We want freedom!” as the bottleneck at the station caused tempers to fray and stoked desperation among the migrants as they waited. The demonstrators chanted “Go! Go! Go! Germany! Germany! We want freedom!” as the bottleneck at the station caused tempers to flare and stoked desperation among the migrants as they waited.
Passengers who were not migrants were being allowed to enter the station after passing checkpoints.Passengers who were not migrants were being allowed to enter the station after passing checkpoints.
The chaos at Keleti prompted the authorities on Tuesday to shut the station temporarily. Regular services eventually resumed, but migrants were not allowed to board unless they had the proper legal documents.The chaos at Keleti prompted the authorities on Tuesday to shut the station temporarily. Regular services eventually resumed, but migrants were not allowed to board unless they had the proper legal documents.
The Hungarian police said on Wednesday that “groups of illegal immigrants, calling themselves Syrian citizens” had appeared in great numbers at the station, without the necessary travel documents or visas required for travel to Austria or Germany.The Hungarian police said on Wednesday that “groups of illegal immigrants, calling themselves Syrian citizens” had appeared in great numbers at the station, without the necessary travel documents or visas required for travel to Austria or Germany.
The police said the security presence at the station was being reinforced in response to the drastic rise in illegal immigrants, including some 2,000 who were apprehended after crossing the Serbian border into Hungary on Tuesday. The police said the security presence at the station was being reinforced in response to the drastic rise in migrants, including about 2,000 who were apprehended after crossing the Serbian border into Hungary on Tuesday.
Tamas Lederer, one of the founders of a volunteer group called Migration Aid that was started two months ago in Budapest, said that the government’s decision to close the city’s main train station to migrants had done nothing to stanch the flow from the south.Tamas Lederer, one of the founders of a volunteer group called Migration Aid that was started two months ago in Budapest, said that the government’s decision to close the city’s main train station to migrants had done nothing to stanch the flow from the south.
“They keep coming, in the same numbers, and now they pile up here,” Mr. Lederer said.“They keep coming, in the same numbers, and now they pile up here,” Mr. Lederer said.
Hundreds of migrants — including a few older people, but mostly young men and women and weary families — clustered together on the filthy tile floor on tattered blankets. A few had small tents. Children scampered through the maze of makeshift encampments.Hundreds of migrants — including a few older people, but mostly young men and women and weary families — clustered together on the filthy tile floor on tattered blankets. A few had small tents. Children scampered through the maze of makeshift encampments.
Puddles of water smeared the tiles here and there, where people had tried to wash themselves. The air smelled of sweat and human waste and incessant chatter bounced off the walls. Puddles of water smeared the tiles here and there, where people had tried to wash themselves. The air smelled of sweat and human waste, and incessant chatter bounced off the walls.
Above, on the outdoor plaza outside the station, hundreds more gathered, and there were protests at the main entrance to the station, with young men screaming chants at the impassive police officers blocking the door and waving slogans (“Germany! Germany!”) scrawled on used pizza boxes. Above, on the outdoor plaza outside the station, hundreds more gathered and there were protests at the main entrance to the station, with young men screaming chants at the impassive police officers blocking the door and waving slogans (“Germany! Germany!”) scrawled on used pizza boxes.
Mr. Lederer said health issues among the migrants were also becoming pressing. “At the beginning, a month ago or so, it was mostly foot problems from the long journey they had made,” he said. “But now, there are so many, we get people with diabetes, various illnesses and, with the building of this wall along the southern border, a lot of slicing wounds from people cut on the razor wire.”Mr. Lederer said health issues among the migrants were also becoming pressing. “At the beginning, a month ago or so, it was mostly foot problems from the long journey they had made,” he said. “But now, there are so many, we get people with diabetes, various illnesses and, with the building of this wall along the southern border, a lot of slicing wounds from people cut on the razor wire.”
More migrants arrived every hour from the south on Wednesday, wondering if they would be allowed to board trains or if they would need to make deals with the groups of human traffickers working the crowd or find some other way — by taxi, perhaps – to make their way out of Hungary and toward Germany. More migrants arrived every hour from the south on Wednesday, wondering if they would be allowed to board trains or if they would need to make deals with the groups of human traffickers working the crowd or find some other way — by taxi, perhaps — to make their way out of Hungary and toward Germany.
“The whole system is crazy,” Mr. Lederer said. “We cannot see any point to it.”“The whole system is crazy,” Mr. Lederer said. “We cannot see any point to it.”
The scene was quieter in Munich. Only about 150 migrants arrived overnight, after the arrival of thousands in recent days, and the authorities were taking measures to organize them to begin the process of applying for asylum.The scene was quieter in Munich. Only about 150 migrants arrived overnight, after the arrival of thousands in recent days, and the authorities were taking measures to organize them to begin the process of applying for asylum.
The migrants who died on Wednesday attempting to reach Greece were believed to be Syrian, part of an influx of people who in recent months have poured into Turkey’s Aegean coast in hopes of traveling on to Greece and in that way gaining entry to the European Union. The migrants who died on Wednesday trying to reach Greece were believed to be Syrian, part of an influx of people who in recent months have poured into the Aegean coast of Turkey in hopes of traveling on to Greece and in that way gaining entry to the European Union.
In France and Britain, service returned to normal on the Eurostar on Wednesday morning, after hundreds of passengers were delayed on five trains, in some cases for several hours, because of reports that migrants trying to get through the Channel Tunnel had blocked the tracks and attempted to board or even climb on the roofs of trains near the French port of Calais. In France and Britain, service returned to normal on the Eurostar on Wednesday morning. Hundreds of passengers were delayed on five trains, in some cases for several hours, because of reports that migrants trying to get through the Channel Tunnel had blocked the tracks and tried to board or even climb on the roofs of trains near Calais.
“The trespassers are still being removed from the tunnel and away from the tracks. We will let you know as soon as we have more info,” Eurostar wrote on its Twitter feed late Tuesday night. “The trespassers are still being removed from the tunnel and away from the tracks,,” Eurostar wrote on Twitter late Tuesday night. “We will let you know as soon as we have more info.”
The trespassers were eventually removed, and Eurostar said that at least two trains had returned to their original points of departure in London and Paris. The other three arrived at their destinations in those two cities, the company said.The trespassers were eventually removed, and Eurostar said that at least two trains had returned to their original points of departure in London and Paris. The other three arrived at their destinations in those two cities, the company said.
“Trains are now traveling as normal and passengers that were sent back and couldn’t complete their journey are being rebooked onto other trains,” Rob Haycocks, a spokesman for Eurostar said Wednesday morning. “Trains are now traveling as normal, and passengers that were sent back and couldn’t complete their journey are being rebooked onto other trains,” Rob Haycocks, a spokesman for Eurostar, said Wednesday morning.
Some migrants in France have cut through fences and stowed away in trucks or other vehicles in an effort to cross the English Channel, while one man nearly succeeded in walking the entirety of the Channel Tunnel before he was arrested, just steps away from arriving in Britain.Some migrants in France have cut through fences and stowed away in trucks or other vehicles in an effort to cross the English Channel, while one man nearly succeeded in walking the entirety of the Channel Tunnel before he was arrested, just steps away from arriving in Britain.
Ten migrants have been killed near Calais since June trying to reach Britain, five of them on the Channel Tunnel site and five others on the highway or near the port, according to Eurotunnel, the company that manages and operates the tunnel. Ten migrants have been killed near Calais since June trying to reach Britain, five of them on the Channel Tunnel site and five others on the highway or near the port, according to Eurotunnel, the company that manages and operates the crossing.
While Europe seeks to cope with one of the worst migration crises in decades, governments have been deeply divided over how to address the challenge. Germany has called for greater coordination across the European Union, while other countries, including Britain, Hungary and others, have insisted that immigration must remain firmly under the control of national governments. While Europe seeks to cope with one of the worst migration crises in decades, governments have been deeply divided over how to address the challenge. Germany has called for greater coordination across the European Union, while other countries, including Britain and Hungary, have insisted that immigration must remain firmly under the control of national governments.
Tens of thousands of migrants, buffeted by conflict in the Middle East and Africa, have been seeking refuge in Europe, only to find themselves confronted with a patchwork of incoherent asylum policies across the 28-member bloc. At the same time, anti-immigrant rhetoric, stoked by far-right political parties, is fostering a backlash in some countries, including in Britain, France, and Hungary, where far-right anti-immigrant parties have influenced the political agenda. Tens of thousands of migrants, buffeted by conflict in the Middle East and Africa, have been seeking refuge in Europe, only to find themselves confronted with a patchwork of incoherent asylum policies across the 28-member bloc. At the same time, anti-immigrant talk, stoked by far-right political parties, is fostering a backlash in some countries, including in Britain, France, and Hungary, where far-right anti-immigrant parties have influenced the political agenda.
Europe’s leaders have remained polarized in recent days over how to respond to the crisis. On Tuesday, Austria’s interior minister, Johanna Mikl-Leitner, called on Germany, the preferred destination for many of the migrants, to clarify its stance on asylum rules. And the Austrian chancellor, Werner Faymann, lashed out at Hungary for what he said was a failure to register migrants before they were sent on, even as Hungary criticized Austria for pointing fingers.Europe’s leaders have remained polarized in recent days over how to respond to the crisis. On Tuesday, Austria’s interior minister, Johanna Mikl-Leitner, called on Germany, the preferred destination for many of the migrants, to clarify its stance on asylum rules. And the Austrian chancellor, Werner Faymann, lashed out at Hungary for what he said was a failure to register migrants before they were sent on, even as Hungary criticized Austria for pointing fingers.