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Greek police clash with migrants after 'fake news' border movement | Greek police clash with migrants after 'fake news' border movement |
(about 7 hours later) | |
Greek police have scuffled with hundreds of migrants who gathered near the northern city of Thessaloniki hoping to enter North Macedonia. | Greek police have scuffled with hundreds of migrants who gathered near the northern city of Thessaloniki hoping to enter North Macedonia. |
The trouble flared outside a migrant camp on Friday after a social media rumour suggested onward travel restrictions had been lifted. | |
Meanwhile in Athens, dozens of migrants protested at the capital's Larissa station, disrupting rail services. | |
Many of the migrants are refugees from the Middle East. | |
Reports say some migrants outside the official Diavata migrant camp hurled sticks and stones at police, who responded with tear gas. | |
Greek media describe as "fake news" the Facebook story about plans for an organised crossing of the North Macedonia border. | Greek media describe as "fake news" the Facebook story about plans for an organised crossing of the North Macedonia border. |
About 600 spent the night camping in a field outside the Diavata camp, and there were more clashes in the morning as police blocked the route to the north. | About 600 spent the night camping in a field outside the Diavata camp, and there were more clashes in the morning as police blocked the route to the north. |
More than 100 tents were reportedly pitched in the field by Friday morning. | |
The Diavata camp, one of three temporary reception facilities on the Greek mainland, has capacity for 936 people, according to Asylum Europe. | |
Bilal Jaf, a 25-year-old Kurdish migrant from Iraq, told the BBC by phone that the situation in the camp was tense, adding: "We're afraid that the police will try to evacuate our makeshift camp. | |
"I have been living in Greece for 11 months, waiting for my asylum request to be examined. I don't know for how long I should wait for that." | |
Karzan Abdullah, 24, also an Iraqi Kurd, said: "I have lived in Greece for 12 months. I have to go to Europe, because there is no life here anymore. | |
"We are informed that the Greek-North Macedonian border will open for us today. My friends, who also want to join the caravan, have been blocked by the police at a railway station in Athens." | |
Legacy of 2015 crisis | Legacy of 2015 crisis |
Tens of thousands of migrants remain in overcrowded camps in Greece, having arrived there in huge numbers in 2015-2016. They include many Afghans, Syrians and Iraqis. | Tens of thousands of migrants remain in overcrowded camps in Greece, having arrived there in huge numbers in 2015-2016. They include many Afghans, Syrians and Iraqis. |
In that crisis Germany took in more than 800,000 asylum seekers - an issue that remains very controversial. International law grants a right of asylum for refugees fleeing war or persecution. | In that crisis Germany took in more than 800,000 asylum seekers - an issue that remains very controversial. International law grants a right of asylum for refugees fleeing war or persecution. |
The influx declined rapidly after Turkey reached a deal with the EU to intercept migrant boats and Balkan countries imposed tight border restrictions. | The influx declined rapidly after Turkey reached a deal with the EU to intercept migrant boats and Balkan countries imposed tight border restrictions. |
In 2016, a sprawling tent city formed at Idomeni, on the Greece-North Macedonia border. It was later cleared by Greek police and the migrants were redistributed to various official camps. | In 2016, a sprawling tent city formed at Idomeni, on the Greece-North Macedonia border. It was later cleared by Greek police and the migrants were redistributed to various official camps. |