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Hungary Train Station Is Gripped by Chaos as Migrants Remain Stranded Squalid Migrant City Rises in Budapest as Europe Seeks Solutions
(about 3 hours later)
BUDAPEST — A ragged metropolis of thousands of weary and bedraggled migrants continued to rise Wednesday in the labyrinth of underground passageways outside Keleti train station. BUDAPEST — A ragged metropolis of thousands of weary and bedraggled migrants continued to rise here on Wednesday in the labyrinth of underground passageways outside Keleti train station.
The Hungarian authorities, saying they were merely obeying European migration regulations, continued to keep migrants out of the station, despite having allowed thousands onto westbound trains on Monday.The Hungarian authorities, saying they were merely obeying European migration regulations, continued to keep migrants out of the station, despite having allowed thousands onto westbound trains on Monday.
At the same time, the desperate migrants fleeing war and poverty in the Middle East, Africa and Afghanistan — most of them hoping to reach Germany — continued to pour over the border from Serbia, despite the construction of a razor-wire fence that seems to have barely slowed them down. At the same time, the desperate migrants fleeing war and poverty in the Middle East, Africa and Afghanistan — most of them hoping to reach Germany — continued to pour over the Hungarian border from Serbia. The construction of a razor-wire fence seems to have barely slowed them down.
And so, while European ministers squabbled and made preparations for a series of meetings to discuss the crisis, vowing to move toward some sort of common and humane response, the squalid city outside Keleti grew and festered, developing new suburbs by the hour. And so, while European ministers squabbled and prepared for a series of meetings to discuss the crisis, vowing to move toward some sort of common and humane response, the squalid city outside Keleti grew and festered, developing new suburbs by the hour.
“We are sleeping in trash,” said Ramadan Mustafa, 23, a chef from the Syrian city of Qamishli. “We don’t know what to do. It’s a matter of human rights. If they don’t do something about the situation, we are going to start walking.”“We are sleeping in trash,” said Ramadan Mustafa, 23, a chef from the Syrian city of Qamishli. “We don’t know what to do. It’s a matter of human rights. If they don’t do something about the situation, we are going to start walking.”
In the stifling heat, migrants sprawled on the tile of the underground plaza connecting Keleti to the nearest subway station; along the twisting passageways beneath the broad boulevards surrounding the station and, up at ground level, on the sun-baked concrete promenade at the huge station’s main entrance. There, television trucks provided a few patches of shade and hundreds of impassive police officers guarded every door. In the stifling heat, migrants sprawled wherever they could: on the tile of the underground plaza connecting Keleti to the nearest subway station; along the twisting passageways beneath the broad boulevards surrounding the station and, up at ground level, on the sun-baked concrete promenade at the huge station’s main entrance. There, television trucks provided a few patches of shade and hundreds of impassive police officers guarded every door.
Hundreds of thousands of migrants have been seeking refuge in Europe, only to find themselves confronted with a patchwork of incoherent asylum policies across the 28-member European Union. At the same time, anti-immigrant sentiment, stoked by far-right political parties, is fostering a backlash in some countries, including Britain, France and Hungary, where those parties have influenced the political agenda.Hundreds of thousands of migrants have been seeking refuge in Europe, only to find themselves confronted with a patchwork of incoherent asylum policies across the 28-member European Union. At the same time, anti-immigrant sentiment, stoked by far-right political parties, is fostering a backlash in some countries, including Britain, France and Hungary, where those parties have influenced the political agenda.
The scene outside Keleti had become the latest focus of the crisis. The latest focus of the crisis is the tumult surrounding Keleti station.
More than 2,000 refugees — including a few elderly people, but most of them young men and women, weary families — clustered together on the station’s filthy tile floor on tattered blankets. A few had small tents. Children scampered through the maze of makeshift encampments or tried to play soccer on the few tiny patches of unoccupied floor. On Wednesday more than 2,000 migrants — most of them young men and women and weary families — clustered together on tattered blankets laid on a filthy tile floor. A few had small tents. Children scampered through the maze of makeshift encampments or tried to play soccer on the few tiny patches of unoccupied space.
Puddles of water smeared the tiles here and there, where people had tried to wash themselves. With temperatures in the 80s, the air smelled of sweat and human waste, and the incessant chatter bouncing off the walls made it difficult to find a quiet spot for a conversation. Puddles of water smeared the tiles here and there, where people had tried to wash themselves. With temperatures in the 80s, the air smelled of sweat and human waste, and the chatter bouncing off the walls made it difficult to find a quiet spot.
On the outdoor plaza at the station’s main entrance, hundreds gathered, and there were regular protests where young men chanted (“Germany! Germany! Freedom!”) at the impassive police officers blocking the door, or waved slogans scrawled on empty pizza boxes. On the outdoor plaza at the station’s main entrance, hundreds gathered, and there were regular protests where young men chanted (“Germany! Germany! Freedom!”) at the police officers blocking the door, or waved slogans scrawled on empty pizza boxes.
Desperate migrants outside the station said they did not know what to do. Even the possibility of hiring smugglers to drive them across the border had become fraught since the gruesome deaths of 71 migrants last week found in the back of an abandoned truck across the border in Austria. Migrants outside the station said they did not know what to do. Even the possibility of hiring smugglers to drive them across the border had become fraught since the gruesome deaths of 71 migrants last week whose bodies were found in the back of an abandoned truck across the border in Austria.
“In Europe, they’re treating us like ISIS did, beating us up,” said Ahmad Saadoun, 27, from Falluja, Iraq. “Either take me to Germany or just send me back. I don’t care anymore.”“In Europe, they’re treating us like ISIS did, beating us up,” said Ahmad Saadoun, 27, from Falluja, Iraq. “Either take me to Germany or just send me back. I don’t care anymore.”
At this, Mr. Saadoun started weeping. A man standing next to him put his arm around Mr. Saadoun’s neck and kissed his cheek to comfort him. Mr. Saadoun started weeping. A man standing next to him put his arm around Mr. Saadoun’s neck and kissed his cheek to comfort him.
Keleti was not Wednesday’s only flash point.Keleti was not Wednesday’s only flash point.
At least 11 migrants drowned trying to make the sea crossing from Turkey to Greece — from which they hoped to begin the arduous, overland journey through Macedonia and Serbia into Hungary —– several bodies washing ashore on the rocky beaches. At least 12 migrants drowned trying to make the sea crossing from Turkey to Greece, from which many begin the arduous, overland journey through Macedonia and Serbia into Hungary. Several of their bodies washed ashore on Turkey’s rocky western beaches, including that of a young child, a photograph of which was widely shared online.
Overnight, train service beneath the English Channel connecting France and Britain was temporarily disrupted after reports that migrants were trying to walk the route or hide atop the hurtling trains.Overnight, train service beneath the English Channel connecting France and Britain was temporarily disrupted after reports that migrants were trying to walk the route or hide atop the hurtling trains.
One of the proudest glories of the European Union — the ability to travel freely, without border checks, from Estonia to Portugal — was splintering in the crisis. Amid the broad and ever-shifting crisis, one of the proudest glories of the European Union — the ability to travel freely, without border checks, from Estonia to Portugal — has been splintering.
Knowing that migrants determined to get to Germany and other Western nations and unable to board at Keleti would likely try other routes, police officers from Hungary and adjoining nations conducted spot checks on trains, demanding documents from suspected migrants. Knowing that migrants determined to get to Germany and other Western nations and unable to board at Keleti station would probably try other routes, police officers from Hungary and adjoining nations conducted spot checks on trains for travelers who might be migrants.
Similar checks were being made on vehicles trying to cross the border between Hungary and Austria, causing huge traffic jams on the motorway that once sped happy East Europeans unimpeded into the heart of the West. Similar checks were being made on vehicles trying to cross the border between Hungary and Austria, causing huge traffic jams on the motorway that once sped happy East Europeans unimpeded into the heart of the West. After more than 3,000 migrants succeeded in reaching Munich by train on Tuesday, only 150 arrived overnight, partly a reflection of the way the Hungarian crackdown has squeezed the human flow.
After more than 3,000 migrants succeeded in reaching Munich by train on Tuesday, only 150 arrived overnight, partly a reflection of the way the Hungarian crackdown has squeezed the human flow. Still, the German authorities expected more migrants to find ways to evade the restrictions — and even hinted that, with a possible agreement on handling the crisis in the works, some might be permitted to travel directly from Budapest in coming days.
Still, the German authorities expected more migrants to find ways to evade the restrictions — and even hinted that, with a possible agreement on handling the crisis in the works, some might even be permitted to travel directly from Budapest in coming days. Michael Müller, the mayor of Berlin, said the authorities believed that as many as 14,000 migrants were now making their way through Europe, and the city was preparing hundreds of beds in tents, former army barracks and two hangars of the city’s shuttered Tempelhof Airport.
Michael Müller, the mayor of Berlin, said the authorities believed that as many as 14,000 migrants were presently making their way through Europe, and the city was preparing hundreds of beds in tents, former army barracks and two hangars of the city’s shuttered Tempelhof Airport.
“Today and in the coming days we will have to react to the arrival of markedly more migrants in our city than we had expected,” Mr. Müller said at a hastily called news conference.“Today and in the coming days we will have to react to the arrival of markedly more migrants in our city than we had expected,” Mr. Müller said at a hastily called news conference.
In Budapest, throughout the afternoon squads of police officers wearing surgical masks and gloves roamed the streets near Keleti station, going into Internet cafes and minimarkets and asking people who looked like migrants for documentation.In Budapest, throughout the afternoon squads of police officers wearing surgical masks and gloves roamed the streets near Keleti station, going into Internet cafes and minimarkets and asking people who looked like migrants for documentation.
If the migrants could not produce evidence that they had entered the country legally or that they had been fingerprinted at the border — the first step in the official registration process — they were taken to an area behind the station and forced to be fingerprinted, according to several migrants and one police officer. If the migrants could not produce evidence that they had entered the country legally or that they had been fingerprinted at the border — the first step in the official registration process — they were taken behind the station and forced to be fingerprinted, according to several migrants and one police officer.
Tamas Lederer, one of the founders of a volunteer group called Migration Aid founded two months ago in Budapest to help for the migrants, said that the government’s decision to close the station to migrants had done nothing to slow the human tide. Tamas Lederer, one of the founders of a volunteer group called Migration Aid that was formed two months ago in Budapest, said the government’s decision to close the station to migrants had done nothing to slow the human tide.
“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.
Many of the migrants had valid tickets to board trains to the West, bought in a mad rush on Monday evening and Tuesday morning after the Hungarian authorities allowed some of the migrants to leave. But because they could not get inside the station, they could not board their trains. And because the tickets were nonrefundable, they watched as more of their precious remaining resources evaporated into the muggy air. Many of the migrants had valid tickets to board trains to the West, bought in a mad rush on Monday evening and Tuesday morning after the Hungarian authorities allowed some migrants to leave. But because they could not get inside the station, they could not board their trains. And because the tickets were nonrefundable, they watched as more of their precious resources evaporated into the muggy air.
Passengers with the proper passports and documentation were still being allowed inside the station to catch their trains, and disembarking passengers were fed through a side entrance to keep them away from the migrant throng. Passengers with the proper passports and documentation were being allowed in to catch their trains, and disembarking passengers were fed through a side entrance to keep them away from the migrant throng.
Mr. Lederer’s group had set up offices in an empty storefront at the north side of the subterranean hall, and dozens of refugees clustered at its doors trying to get news, supplies, reassurance. Another door a few yards away led to the group’s makeshift medical clinic where six volunteer doctors and nurses tended to the wounds and illnesses of the migrants. Mr. Lederer’s group had set up offices in an empty storefront at the north side of the subterranean hall, and dozens of migrants clustered at its doors trying to get news, supplies and reassurance. Another door a few yards away led to the group’s makeshift clinic where six volunteer doctors and nurses tended to wounds and other ailments.
“At the beginning, a month ago or so, it was mostly foot problems from the long journey they had made,” Mr. Lederer 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.”“At the beginning, a month ago or so, it was mostly foot problems from the long journey they had made,” Mr. Lederer 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.”
Volunteers packed boxes of relief supplies — cans of beans here, shelves full of diapers and shampoo over there. Vegetarian meals for 2,000 people are produced every day, including rice and beans and various curries. A small shower room also provided some relief. Volunteers packed boxes of relief supplies — cans of beans here, shelves full of diapers and shampoo over there. Vegetarian meals for 2,000 people are produced every day, including rice and beans and various curries. A small shower room also provided some relief. “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.” Outside Hungary’s Parliament building, several thousand people marched Wednesday evening to protest the government’s treatment of the migrants. “I find this government’s refugee policy unacceptable,” said Denes Nagy, 71, a physicist. “It goes against basic human values, European values and Hungary’s true values.”
Several thousand people marched on Hungary’s Parliament building Wednesday evening to protest the government’s treatment of the migrants. Some of the marchers carried European Union flags.
“I find this government’s refugee policy unacceptable,” said Denes Nagy, 71, a physicist. “It goes against basic human values, European values and Hungary’s true values.”