Thousands of people began a defiant march along a major roadway outside Budapest on Friday in an effort to leave Hungary as a refugee crisis inside the country continues to deteriorate, according to estimates from journalists travelling with the group.
Most are Syrian refugees who have fled the bloody civil war that has gripped their home country for years. They are attempting to pass through Hungary, en route to other countries in Europe to apply for asylum. But Hungary has moved to seal its border in recent days as thousands cross the southern border with Serbia. They say their destination is Vienna.
I have underestimated the numbers. There are thousands of people on this road. #Exodus pic.twitter.com/fbfri7kHdv— James Mates (@jamesmatesitv) September 4, 2015
Police walked alongside the large group, who at times linked arms and extended their march across the westbound side of the four-lane highway. It didn't seem as though police were trying to block the refugees.
The crowd incldued many children, some being pushed in strollers. People did their best to take shelter from the heat of the sun as they attempted to walk more than 150 miles from Budapest to Vienna.
This is the best anyone can do for shade as they set out to walk 200+kms to Vienna pic.twitter.com/ylwvGYwumy— James Mates (@jamesmatesitv) September 4, 2015
#MigrantMarch refugees continue towards #Austria from #Budapest. Police still with them. http://t.co/RekXNbzFwx pic.twitter.com/NmrFFnRIil— Nabih (@nabihbulos) September 4, 2015
#MigrantMarch moving again towards #Austria. #Budapest pic.twitter.com/ciyZ51YFzr— Nabih (@nabihbulos) September 4, 2015
Elsewhere in Hungary, just northeast of Budapest, a standoff is underway as refugees on a train refuse to disembark at a processing center. The group is demanding that they be able to continue on their way into Europe, as many are hoping to lodge asylum applications outside of Hungary.
In Geneva, the head of the U.N. refugee agency called for the European Union to take "urgent and courageous measures" to deal with the crisis.
Agency chief Antonio Guterres said refugees should benefit from a mass relocation program and called for authorities to crack down on human smugglers.
His comments Friday came a day after a round of recriminations among EU leaders. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has said the human wave is a German problem, but German Chancellor Angela Merkel said the obligation to protect refugees "applies not just in Germany, but in every European member."
Some information from the Associated Press.