Macedonian police harshly attacked migrants and refugees who crossed the border from Greece to Macedonia in an attempt to reach Serbia. Migrants and refugees who stormed the border from Greece on Monday tore down a gate as frustrations boiled over at restrictions imposed on people moving through the Balkans. Hundreds of migrants succeeded in crossing the border, while a large number remained behind the lines. Macedonian police fired teargas into the crowd. Many of those who had been waiting on the border are people who fled violence in Iraq and Syria. Hundreds of Afghans were also in the large group waiting at the border. Monday's incident was a consequence of the ramped up border controls and security measures in Europe, which had the migrants stuck in Greece. The migration crisis is one of the top issues occupying the agenda of European leaders, and has been exacerbated by the rapidly increasing number of Syrians fleeing the war.
