Migrants tear-gassed by Hungary police

Hungarian riot police have fired tear gas and water cannon to force migrants back from the Serbia-Hungary border.

Hundreds of people have massed at a closed crossing point near the Serbian town of Horgos, and are involved in a tense stand-off with police on the other side of the border.

Some migrants threw missiles, including stones and water bottles.

Many of the migrants want to reach Germany, amid divisions within the EU over how to deal with the crisis.

Tens of thousands of people have crossed into Hungary to enter the Europe Union’s Schengen zone, which normally allows people to travel between member countries without restrictions.

Hungary closed its entire border with Serbia on Tuesday after making it illegal to enter the country or damage a new razor-wire border fence. The country’s courts have started fast-track trials of arrested migrants.

Serbia’s foreign ministry has protested over the firing of tear gas and water cannon into its territory.

There were chaotic scenes near Horgos, with fires burning and police vehicles and ambulances arriving on the Serbian side of the border, across from massed ranks of riot police on the Hungarian side.

The Hungarian government says 20 police officers were injured as migrants tried to break through a gate, and a spokesman accused migrants of using children as “human shields”.

The firing of tear gas and water cannon created a stampede of migrants away from the border.

Several people received treatment from the Serbian ambulance service, some suffering the effects of tear gas.

Migrant Amir Hassan, from Iraq, said: “We fled wars and violence and did not expect such brutality and inhumane treatment in Europe.”

United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said he was “shocked” by the “unacceptable” treatment of migrants. BBC