Migrants on Macedonia border hold hunger strike against border screening

On the Macedonian-Greek border, crowds of Iranians Moroccans and others blocked the railway line running between both countries, halting at least one train that tried to cross, a Reuters photographer said.

Deputy interior Minister of Greece, Yiannis Mouzalas, visited the area of the strike and promised free bus travel back to Athens to the migrants who were not allowed to go to Macedonia.

Macedonia’s refusal to admit 1,000 migrants was part of a new clampdown by Balkan states on the main corridor trekked by refugees bound for wealthy western Europe, coinciding with growing security fears after the November 13 attacks in Paris.

On the Macedonian-Greek border, hundreds of people were stranded in dozens of tents behind barbed wire, as Syrians, Iraqis and Afghans were filtered through fences and granted passage. However, they have been stopping migrants from other countries, doubting whether they are fleeing conflict. As Monday’s protest showed, many more are also heading for European shores-and trapping them at the border is only making things worse.

Refugees stranded at the Greece – Macedonia border have launched a hunger strike in protest. “I haven’t eaten anything for two days”, one of the hunger strikers told VICE News with difficulty.

The number of migrants being barred from entering Macedonia has fallen significantly Sunday, from more than 2,000 to around 1,300 in the early evening. Lots of them can’t go back to their homelands as they would be criminally prosecuted.

“I will stay here until they let me through”, says 39-year-old Iranian Mohammed Ali, who wants to join his father and brother in Germany.

A group of migrants stuck at the Idomeni border crossing launched protest against the process of filtering the refugees.

About 858,805 refugees and migrants from the Middle East, Africa and Asia have arrived in Europe so far this year by sea, while 3,548 have died or gone missing, according to IOM figures. Greek police believe they may be trying to find other routes, including with the help of smugglers.

“In a statement last Thursday the Slovenian interior ministry said ‘we absolutely need to provide protection to those who need it, whose lives are threatened, who are escaping war zones”.