Thousands of people gathered outside German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s official residence in Berlin on Tuesday evening in a protest calling for the border between Turkey and the European Union to be opened.
The demonstration outside the Federal Chancellery took place after clashes between Greek authorities and migrants trying to cross into the country from Turkey, following Ankara’s decision to open its western borders.
Images showing Greek police firing tear gas and stun grenades against migrants were projected all over the world.
German police estimated 3,500 protesters had gathered in Berlin, while the demonstration’s organisers Seebrucke put the number closer to 8,000.
Seebrucke said it stood "against the policy of sealing off the EU and for the opening of the borders".
The group said responsibility for the refugees stranded at the border lay not with the local Greek population “but with the EU and therefore the federal government”.
Demonstrators criticised the 2016 Turkey-EU deal, which saw Ankara stop migrants trying to get over to Europe in exchange for funds from the bloc to help care for Syrian refugees. Protesters chanted slogans such as: “Say it loud, say it clear, everyone is welcome here!”
One of the speakers at the rally said Greece’s decision not to accept any new asylum applications for one month was contrary to human rights. The move was effectively replicated by Hungary.
Similar protests were seen in the nearby city of Potsdam and the northern city of Hamburg.
More demonstrations are expected to take place later this week.
As the biggest nation in the EU, Germany has come under fire to react to the emerging situation at the Greek border, which has seen thousands of migrants attempt to reach the bloc since last week.
The German government has called on Turkey to keep in place the 2016 deal, with a spokesman for Angela Merkel saying Ankara expected it to be upheld.
Steffen Seibert said Turkey should engage in discussions with the EU rather than open its western borders.
"We must talk with Turkey on these issues. We must also talk about the additional concerns and burden due to the hundreds of thousands of displaced people in Syria," he said.
Interior Minister Horst Seehofer expressed his support for the Greek authorities following the clashes.
“We need order on the EU's external border. We will help Greece with all our strength. The borders of Europe are not open to the refugees from Turkey and this also applies to our German borders,” the Interior Ministry tweeted on Tuesday evening in German, English, Arabic and Farsi.
EU leaders have pledged 700 million euros to Greece in financial aid to try and prevent another migration crisis akin to 2015, when nearly 2 million people illegally crossed into Europe.
The bloc has provided the Greek borders with two helicopters, six coastal patrol boats, one aircraft, thermal cameras and 100 security officers, as well as 350m euros made available immediately to upgrade infrastructure.
