- Clashes broke out on Sunday between migrants and Macedonian police
- Britons among 17 activists arrested for spreading border opening rumours
- Comes as fresh violence broke out as migrants tried to scale border fence
Two
Britons are among 17 activists arrested after violence erupted
following false rumours that the Greek Macedonia border was opening.
Severe
clashes broke out on Sunday between stone-throwing migrants and
Macedonian police using tear gas, stun grenades, rubber bullets and a
water cannon.
Scores
were injured in the violence and Greek police have now swooped to
arrest a number of activists for spreading rumours among the refugees at
the Idomeni encampment that the border was to be opened up.
A man throws a tear gas shell back
towards Macedonian police as migrants and refugees try to break down the
border fence near their makeshift camp at the Greek-Macedonian border
About 100 migrants spread out over
about 100 metres (yards) tugging at the wire fence, but swiftly pulled
back when two squads of Greek riot police moved in
Greek riot police
officers deploy along the border with Macedonia, as migrants in the
background throw rocks across the border fence
According to the Telegraph, they were detained but all but one activist was later released by Greek police.
As well as the two Britons, the activists were from Germany, Austria, Holland, Sweden and Greece.
Today
new clashes broke out between Macedonian police and stranded refugees
and other migrants trying to scale a fence on Greece's border with the
country.
Greek
authorities say Macedonian police fired tear gas and stun grenades to
deter a group of about 30 people from trying to get over the razor-wire
fence using blankets.
Greek authorities say Macedonian
police fired tear gas and stun grenades to deter a group of about 30
people from trying to get over the razor-wire fence using blankets
Macedonian police officers try to protect themselves from the rocks thrown by migrants from the Greek side of the border fence
Migrants and refugees hold a protest to call for the reopening of the border near their makeshift camp
No injuries were reported from Wednesday's clashes at the closed Idomeni border crossing in northern Greece.
About
11,000 people have been living in an informal tent city on the Greek
side of the border for weeks, hoping Macedonia will let them continue
their trek towards Europe's prosperous heartland.
Before
the shutdown, which was triggered by a similar move in Austria, further
north on the migration corridor, about 850,000 people who had arrived
in Greece on smugglers' boats from Turkey had entered Macedonia from
Idomeni.
The
violence increased friction between the two Balkan neighbours - at odds
for a quarter-century over Macedonia's official name - with Macedonia
accusing Greece of doing nothing to stop the rioters and Athens
denouncing Skopje's heavy-handed response.
Meanwhile,
Italy’s coastguard says it has rescued some 4,000 migrants in the past
two days, adding to fears of a fresh push to reach Europe via that route
as the number of migrants landing in Greece sharply recedes.
A man washes his face with water after he was struck by the tear gas on the border of Macedonia and Greece
A man injured in the
scuffles is carried from the scene while several others are seen wearing
masks to help protect them from the gas
The scuffles erupted on the Greek-Macedonia border today after migrants attempted to pull down a fence
However, Macedonian police (pictured) responded by firing tear gas and stun grenades at the refugees
European
Union President Donald Tusk warned of the impending explosion of the
sea route, saying the number of would-be migrants in Libya is
'alarming', it was reported.
On
Tuesday, 2,154 migrants were brought to safety in the Strait of Sicily
between Italy and north Africa, on top of the 1,850 rescued in the area
on Monday, the coastguard said.
A
vessel from the EU border agency Frontex and a Greek cargo ship
assisted the Italian navy in conducting a total of 25 rescue operations
involving 16 dinghies and a rowing boat, officials said.
All the passengers survived.
War-torn Libya is the main jump-off point for migrants trying to reach Europe from north Africa.
A
spokesman for the Libyan navy said that country’s coastguard
intercepted a further six inflatable boats carrying 649 migrants off
Sabratha, near Libya’s border with Tunisia, on Tuesday.
NUMBER OF WOULD-BE MIGRANTS IN LIBYA IS 'ALARMING', WARNS EU BOSS
The
number of would-be migrants in Libya ready to attempt the sea crossing
to Italy is 'alarming', EU President Donald Tusk has warned.
Fears
are growing the route will see a huge increase in crossings this summer
as calmer weather offers a better window for migrants prepared to risk
their lives to reach Europe.
The
so-called 'Mediterranean route' was once the most frequented journey
for asylum-seekers attempting to reach continental Europe but in recent
years was surpassed by the 'Balkans route'.
However,
this year many of the Balkan countries frequented by migrants closed
their borders and have refused to open them to refugees - sparking fears
in a resurgence of the sea route.
Mr Tusk told the EU Parliament in Strasbourg today: 'The numbers of would-be migrants in Libya are alarming,' Bloomberg News reported.
'This means that we must be prepared to help and show solidarity to Malta and Italy should they request it.
'We must remember that the Balkan route is not the only one. I have in mind here the Central Mediterranean route.'
A group of migrants who set off for Italy from North Africa sit in a boat after being rescued by the Italian Navy
The migrant boat (pictured) was just one of many that saw 4,000 refugees rescued on the Mediterranean Sea in the past two days
The arrivals represent a sharp increase on the average daily numbers landing in Italy since the start of the year
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