Hundreds protest along Greek-Turkish border to show support for refugees

Demonstrators have called for the Greek government to offer safe passage to refugees seeking to cross over from Turkey. They insist the fence along the border has put migrants in further danger.

Deutsche Welle, 24 Jnuary 2016

Around 700 people have spent two days demonstrating along the border between Greece and Turkey to protest the 10.5-kilometer (6.5-mile) fence, which activists say is forcing refugees to seek more dangerous ways of reaching Europe.

The protesters urged the Greek government to grant safe passage to the refugees traveling through Turkey into Greece from Syria and other war-torn countries in the Middle East.

Human rights groups say the border restrictions are forcing refugees to pay large sums of money to smugglers in order to get across the border.

After the two-day demonstration ended on Sunday, organizer Petros Constantinou said he and his followers wouldn't give up. "We will never accept this policy being dictated by Europe's politicians... who close borders to refugees and force them to risk their lives," Constantinou said, according to the Associated Press news agency.

The protest took place about 200 meters (yards) from the Turkish border.

blc/tj (AP, AFP)

Greek islander Antonis Deligiorgis, left, pulls an Eritrean woman, Wegasi 

Nebiat, from the sea off Rhodes last year. Photograph: Argiris Mantikos/AP

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