Migrants clash with Greek police at border after Turkey opens floodgates

[webfact]

Migrants clash with Greek police at border after Turkey opens floodgates

By Lefteris Papadimas and Alkis Konstantinidis

 

A hooded migrant who, along with other migrants wants to cross into Greece from Turkey's Pazarkule border crossing, prepares to throw a stone at a Greek riot police officer, in Kastanies, Greece, March 1, 2020. REUTERS/Alexandros Avramidis

 

KASTANIES/LESBOS, Greece (Reuters) - Greek police fired tear gas to repel hundreds of stone-throwing migrants who tried to force their way across the border from Turkey on Sunday, with thousands more behind them after Ankara relaxed curbs on their movement.

 

The Greek government called the confrontations a threat to national security. "Do not attempt to enter Greece illegally - you will be turned back," Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said on Twitter after a security meeting on the situation.

 

It was the second straight day of clashes at the border crossing near the northeastern Greek town of Kastanies.

 

Video footage provided by a Greek government source and seen by Reuters also appeared to show tear gas being fired from the Turkish side of the border at the Greek riot police.

 

"The present situation is an active, serious, severe and asymmetrical threat to the national security of the country," Greek government spokesman Stelios Petsas told reporters.

 

"These ... people are being used by Turkey as pawns to exert diplomatic pressure," he added.

 

Turkey said on Thursday it would let migrants cross its borders into Europe, despite a commitment to hold them in its territory under a 2016 deal with the European Union.

 

Turkey's turnabout came after an air strike killed 33 Turkish soldiers in its neighbour Syria, and appeared to be an effort to press for more EU support in tackling the refugee crisis from Syria's civil war.

 

Ankara has dismissed Greek criticism of its decision to open the border and has condemned Greece's response to the migrants.

 

Greece placed its borders on maximum security footing on Sunday after hundreds of migrants used porous crossing points to enter the country from Turkey, with thousands behind them seeking entry after Ankara relaxed curbs on their movement. Soraya Ali reports.

 

RUSH TO GREEK BORDER

At least 600 people had arrived by sea on the Greek islands of Lesbos, Chios and Samos close to the Turkish coast within a few hours on Sunday morning, police said.

 

Along the northeastern mainland border, some migrants waded across a shallow section of the Evro River to the Greek side. Witnesses said there were groups of up to 30, including an Afghan mother with a five-day-old infant, by the side of a road after having forded the river.

 

The clashes occurred later in the day at the Kastanies crossing after riot police reinforced security there. No further details were immediately available as police were escorting reporters away from the scene, citing safety considerations.

 

A Greek government source said some migrants had thrown metal bars.

 

The EU, its relations with Turkey tense over President Tayyip Erdogan's crackdown on dissent and hydrocarbon drilling off Cyprus, scrambled to respond to the new migrant crisis.

 

Officials at EU headquarters in Brussels called for emergency meetings of migration and foreign ministers to decide next steps, while EU border agency Frontex said it was in talks with Greece to help it guard the bloc's external frontier.

 

German Chancellor Angela Merkel had a phone call with Boyko Borissov, the prime minister of Bulgaria, which also shares a border with Turkey, and agreed for the need for talks with Ankara, a German government spokesman said.

 

The Greek Prime Minister said he and European Council head Charles Michel would visit the Evros land border with Turkey on Tuesday.

 

"THE BORDERS ARE SHUT"

The crisis poses the toughest test for Greece since 2015 when it came precariously close to bailing out of the euro zone, and also brings into focus longstanding tensions with Turkey.

 

An automated text message sent to mobile phones in the northern border areas of Greece said the country had increased its security to a maximum, urging people not to attempt to enter.

 

Greece's Skai TV said Greeks were using loudspeakers in the Kastanies border area to tell migrants, in English and Arabic, that they were not welcome: "The Borders are Shut!"

 

Greece was the main gateway for hundreds of thousands of asylum seekers into Europe in 2015-16. More than 40,000 migrants are stuck on the Aegean islands, living in severely overcrowded camps and filthy conditions.

 

A Greek government source put the number of people gathered on the Turkish side of the border on Sunday at 3,000, while the International Organization for Migration (IOM) estimated the number at 13,000.

 

On the island of Lesbos, a small group of Greeks attempted to prevent a dinghy full of migrants from coming in to berth at a harbour. "Go back to Turkey" a group of hooded individuals shouted.

 

Last week, there were clashes on Lesbos between riot police and locals protesting over a plan to create closed detention centres to house the migrant population. Local residents say the islands are carrying a disproportionate burden.

 

(Reporting by Alkis Konstantinidis on Lesbos, Lefteris Papadimas in Kastanies, Renee Maltezou in Athens; Ali Kucukgocmen in Turkey, Tsvetelia Tsolova in Bulgaria, Gabriela Baczynska in Brussels and Joseph Nasr in Berlin; Writing by Michele Kambas; Editing by Mark Heinrich, Frances Kerry and Andrew Heavens)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-03-02

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[thaibeachlovers]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

"These ... people are being used by Turkey as pawns to exert diplomatic pressure," he added.

 

Turkey said on Thursday it would let migrants cross its borders into Europe, despite a commitment to hold them in its territory under a 2016 deal with the European Union.

Hopefully, IMO, the beginning of the end of any hope by Turkey to join the EU. Under Erdogan, IMO, Turkey is becoming no friend of the west.

 

I believe that the EU is paying Turkey to keep the refugees there, so hopefully that will cease immediately.

 

Seems that those of us that saw the EU policy on refugees would lead to tears were right.

The policy that works is in existence. The Australians are no longer having boats full of illegal immigrants arriving on Christmas Island, to my knowledge.

[baansgr]

Stone throwing teenaged men, yep, they will definitely be upholding immigrants and help with the ailing economy. 

[Orton Rd]

Not refugees but more illegal economic migrants, fit young men mostly from safe countries. They should claim asylum in Turkey then the Turks should decline it and send them all back home. Europe cannot take the whole world in.

[JustAnotherHun]

1 hour ago, thaibeachlovers said:

The policy that works is in existence. The Australians are no longer having boats full of illegal immigrants arriving on Christmas Island, to my knowledge.

Sadly, the Australian sovereign borders politics is not transferible to Europe. Between Australia and its neighbors there are hundreds of miles open sea. Euope has thousands of km land borders and is just a few seamiles from north africa and between Turkey and the Greece islands.

 

[RichardColeman]

 

3 hours ago, webfact said:

Turkey said on Thursday it would let migrants cross its borders into Europe, despite a commitment to hold them in its territory under a 2016 deal with the European Union.

I presume Turkey are going to pay back all the money they received for keeping them ? No ? Thought not. 

 

I'd let in 1 Syrian and deport 1 Turk, Job done.

[RichardColeman]

Funny, soon to get into the UK you will need a good paying job, speak English and have some skill the UK needs.

 

OR

 

A dingy, no documents and want a handout !

[JustAnotherHun]

Once more Turkey breakes the contracts and uses "refugees" as a weapon against the west at the same time they ask for Nato help to cover their invasion in Syria.

If the situation escalates, Europe should send back each Turk national without permanent resisdent status to his home country. That would be millions too and Erdogan would have to rethink his actions against the west.

Edited March 2, 2020 by JustAnotherHun

[thaibeachlovers]

2 minutes ago, JustAnotherHun said:

Sadly, the Australian sovereign borders politics is not transferible to Europe. Between Australia and its neighbors there are hundreds of miles open sea. Euope has thousands of km land borders and is just a few seamiles from north africa and between Turkey and the Greece islands.

 

The solution that I suggested a couple years ago when this was in early days was renting some desert in Africa and sending every illegal immigrant there, just like Australia sends it's boat people ( well if there were any now that's where they'd go ) to Naaru. Kept safe, healthy etc but no hope of entry to EU. That would stop most attempts.

No need to have dramas at the border- just loaded on trucks and sent to the desert. Genuine refugees safe and can apply there for asylum.

[Orton Rd]

News coverage is a disgrace, always using some crying kid they sought out or a newly born baby for empathy value while ignoring the question why these people are where they are and what right have they to be there.

[Chomper Higgot]

1 hour ago, Orton Rd said:

Not refugees but more illegal economic migrants, fit young men mostly from safe countries. They should claim asylum in Turkey then the Turks should decline it and send them all back home. Europe cannot take the whole world in.

There two possibilities.

 

1. You have missed the entirety of the news coverage of the war in Syria.

 

2. You woke up this morning and decided vent your spleen of it’s bigoted bile.

[Orton Rd]

These people are not all from Syria and if they were they should stay in the first safe country they come to, not try and get to hand out land. People are in the crowd from Morocco and other African countries with no war, Iran no war, Afghans. Coming from Islamic hell holes is not grounds for asylum in the west.

[JustAnotherHun]

31 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

The solution that I suggested a couple years ago when this was in early days was renting some desert in Africa and sending every illegal immigrant there

That would not work. You won't find an african country accepting such huge camps on their territory. Most of these countries even refuse to take their nationals back when Europe tries to deport them.

[RichardColeman]

26 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

There two possibilities.

 

1. You have missed the entirety of the news coverage of the war in Syria.

 

2. You woke up this morning and decided vent your spleen of it’s bigoted bile.

By your own thought process there should be about 25% men, 25% women and 50% under say 18 years we can count as children - BUT they are not, they are 90% full grown men - or children with beards. By your own thought process these men have upped and abandoned their families - why on earth would you want them ? Have you actually seen the boats full of African MEN only ? Can Syria conflict be blamed for the sheer amount of Black africans in those turkey pictures ? 

 

 

 

 

[Laughing Gravy]

This is not helped by the EU and that's what happens when you play with the devil (Turkey) good luck to the EU with that one. As  rightly pointed out many are not from worn torn countries like the media love to portray. Often they were told that they would be given hotels, food, free money and free medical (welfare sate) by coming to EU countries.

 

Well done Soros for that one.

 

For the liberal, left wing luvvies who al think we can integrate comfortably then they are deluded.

[ivor bigun]

1 hour ago, Chomper Higgot said:

There two possibilities.

 

1. You have missed the entirety of the news coverage of the war in Syria.

 

2. You woke up this morning and decided vent your spleen of it’s bigoted bile.

I like a good comedy post in the morning .You were joking wern't you?

[Chomper Higgot]

5 minutes ago, ivor bigun said:

I like a good comedy post in the morning .You were joking wern't you?

Sadly not.

 

The repetitive rants against immigrants this board attracts are not something to joke about.

Edited March 2, 2020 by Chomper Higgot

[ivor bigun]

3 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

Sadly not.

 

The repetitive rants against immigrants this board attracts are not something to joke about.

They are not rants ,they are genuine worries ,most of these men will end up in the west ,never fully integrating and bringing their customs and in many cases their disgusting practices with them ,they will never marry local girls and settle down,like most of us who go to foreign country's do,but its a waste of breath saying this to some as they will never accept this until something affects them.

Its the same with the Muslim population in Towns in the west,I know there are some good muslims ,but they never ever integrate ,you have to convert to their faith if you wish to marry one and live as they live ,they will not live as you live .and please do not say i dont know what i am talking about ,i worked with them for many ,many years. 

[Chomper Higgot]

7 minutes ago, ivor bigun said:

They are not rants ,they are genuine worries ,most of these men will end up in the west ,never fully integrating and bringing their customs and in many cases their disgusting practices with them ,they will never marry local girls and settle down,like most of us who go to foreign country's do,but its a waste of breath saying this to some as they will never accept this until something affects them.

Its the same with the Muslim population in Towns in the west,I know there are some good muslims ,but they never ever integrate ,you have to convert to their faith if you wish to marry one and live as they live ,they will not live as you live .and please do not say i dont know what i am talking about ,i worked with them for many ,many years. 

‘They are not rants’, followed by generalized derogatory remarks against immigrants, exceptionalism of expats in Thailand and anti Muslim diatribe thrown in for good measure.

[justin case]

the future of europe and we farangs are expats with zero rights in this 3rd world banana 

[RichardColeman]

Trying to spot a woman in the Turkey migrant pictures is like trying to spot Wally !

 

[Brigand]

This issue will be the undoing of the EU. Unless European countries get an immigration policy that works (like making them apply from outside) and reduce the "pull" factor then there is trouble brewing as what we are slowly seeing is an invasion of people that share no values with us and have no intention of integrating ...just a handout please. And people wonder why the British wanted control of their borders back.

Edited March 2, 2020 by Brigand

[moe666]

Lets see turkey invades Syria and then gets upset when it soliders get killed what part of war do these clowns do not understand

[Baerboxer]

2 hours ago, Chomper Higgot said:

There two possibilities.

 

1. You have missed the entirety of the news coverage of the war in Syria.

 

2. You woke up this morning and decided vent your spleen of it’s bigoted bile.

 

And who is it that's invading Syria - Turkey. The same Turkey the EU paid to keep refugees there. The same Turkey that used refugees as a pawn before and now uses them again; taking advantage of the silly open door Merkel cock-up that many economic migrants still think is open.

 

Syria has borders with many Muslim countries. Now why don't they go to these brother nations - because they wouldn't be let in, stand a good chance of being shot or thrown into terrible prisons and most definitely not be given loads of free hand outs and allowed to do as they please.

 

KSA, UAE, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Bahrain - all rich countries. But hey, let the stupid left wing liberals in the West pay and then screw up their countries!

 

Or another possibility: you woke up this morning and decided to share your bleeding-heart liberal views with us.

[Baerboxer]

58 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

Sadly not.

 

The repetitive rants against immigrants this board attracts are not something to joke about.

 

Only they're not immigrants. They're illegal immigrants trying to enter a country unlawfully to gain economic advantage.

 

Why aren't they all claiming asylum in Turkey?

[Baerboxer]

40 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

‘They are not rants’, followed by generalized derogatory remarks against immigrants, exceptionalism of expats in Thailand and anti Muslim diatribe thrown in for good measure.

 

Your post like this personify the political correctness of the liberal left that so many Europeans are now reacting against.

 

Whole areas of cities and towns in Europe have been transformed by migrants, some legal, some illegal, like this. And not for the better.

[Brigand]

14 minutes ago, Baerboxer said:

Or another possibility: you woke up this morning and decided to share your bleeding-heart liberal views with us.

... sadly this ^ then spend the rest of the telling everyone he is confused.

 

 

Edited March 2, 2020 by Brigand

[Saint Nick]

46 minutes ago, RichardColeman said:

Trying to spot a woman in the Turkey migrant pictures is like trying to spot Wally !

 

I can see 5 and i was not even looking really hard!

 

[Saint Nick]

18 minutes ago, Baerboxer said:

 

Your post like this personify the political correctness of the liberal left that so many Europeans are now reacting against.

 

Whole areas of cities and towns in Europe have been transformed by migrants, some legal, some illegal, like this. And not for the better.

This "argument" has been debunked so many times, it is not even worth to do it once again!

[thaibeachlovers]

2 hours ago, JustAnotherHun said:

That would not work. You won't find an african country accepting such huge camps on their territory. Most of these countries even refuse to take their nationals back when Europe tries to deport them.

Be in the desert far from any habitation. I'm sure they would if paid rent for the land.