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| Asylum seekers ‘attempt to dismantle fence’ at Greek Idomeni camp, get teargassed (PHOTOS, VIDEOS) | Asylum seekers ‘attempt to dismantle fence’ at Greek Idomeni camp, get teargassed (PHOTOS, VIDEOS) |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Police have deployed tear gas against asylum seekers at the Idomeni refugee camp in Greece, on the border with Macedonia, local media have reported, adding that injuries are feared. | Police have deployed tear gas against asylum seekers at the Idomeni refugee camp in Greece, on the border with Macedonia, local media have reported, adding that injuries are feared. |
| Ruptly journalist Katica Djurovic said that police also deployed stun grenades against the asylum seekers. | |
| "Dozens of people were hurt, mainly suffering respiratory problems, and three had to be taken to hospital," Doctors without Borders (MSF) official Achileas Tzemos told AFP. | |
| According to the Greek newspaper Antenna, a group of asylum seekers attempted to cross the border and enter Macedonia, with Macedonian police then responding with tear gas and stun grenades. | According to the Greek newspaper Antenna, a group of asylum seekers attempted to cross the border and enter Macedonia, with Macedonian police then responding with tear gas and stun grenades. |
| The paper said several people have been injured, but has provided no further details. | The paper said several people have been injured, but has provided no further details. |
| “They [asylum seekers] threw rocks at the Macedonian police. The police fired tear gas in response," a Macedonian official told Reuters on condition of anonymity. “The migrants were pushing against the fence but standing on the Greek side of the border. The fence is still there, they have not broken through.” | “They [asylum seekers] threw rocks at the Macedonian police. The police fired tear gas in response," a Macedonian official told Reuters on condition of anonymity. “The migrants were pushing against the fence but standing on the Greek side of the border. The fence is still there, they have not broken through.” |
| Numerous photos and videos on social media show scores of refugees running from canisters thrown by officers in riot gear. | Numerous photos and videos on social media show scores of refugees running from canisters thrown by officers in riot gear. |
| According to some reports, asylum seekers are throwing stones at police. | According to some reports, asylum seekers are throwing stones at police. |
| Greek media reported that the unrest started after a brochure was released in Arabic that called on the refugees in Idomeni to gather at the border and attempt to cross it. | Greek media reported that the unrest started after a brochure was released in Arabic that called on the refugees in Idomeni to gather at the border and attempt to cross it. |
| “Open the border,” “We need European Union” and “Not to return” read the banners held by asylum seekers. They were also heard shouting “Merkel! Merkel!” referring to German Chancellor Angela Merkel. | |
| According to Ruptly journalist Katica Djurovic, the refugees said before their protest: “Today, we either break the fence, or we die.” | According to Ruptly journalist Katica Djurovic, the refugees said before their protest: “Today, we either break the fence, or we die.” |
| “It is not an organized attempt to cross the border, there were just about 150 to 200 people," police authorities told local media. | “It is not an organized attempt to cross the border, there were just about 150 to 200 people," police authorities told local media. |
| A Reuters witness estimated there were 500 people attempting to cross the border. | A Reuters witness estimated there were 500 people attempting to cross the border. |
| The EU-Turkey deal is not helping Greece and can only lead to chaos, former Greek diplomat Leonidas Chrysanthopoulos told RT. | |
| He added that that there is “no anticipation” that the migrants “would be distributed to EU member-states” and that “most likely the EU wants Greece to keep them there.” | |
| The Greek authorities have condemned the “indiscriminate” force being used against asylum seekers by Macedonian officers. | |
| "The indiscriminate use of chemicals, rubber bullets and stun grenades against vulnerable populations, and particularly without reasons for such force, is a dangerous and deplorable act," said George Kyritsis, a spokesman for migration coordinators in the Greek government, as cited by Reuters. | |
| In March, the EU reached a deal with Ankara which will see all illegal migrants reaching Greece from Turkey sent back. In return, the EU will take in thousands of Syrian refugees directly from Turkey. | In March, the EU reached a deal with Ankara which will see all illegal migrants reaching Greece from Turkey sent back. In return, the EU will take in thousands of Syrian refugees directly from Turkey. |
| The EU continues to face the biggest refugee crisis since 1945. More than one million asylum seekers entered Europe in 2015, most of them from Syria, where a civil war has taken the lives of 250,000 people and displaced 12 million since 2011, according to UN figures. | The EU continues to face the biggest refugee crisis since 1945. More than one million asylum seekers entered Europe in 2015, most of them from Syria, where a civil war has taken the lives of 250,000 people and displaced 12 million since 2011, according to UN figures. |