The Polish-Belarus border has become a focal point of a burgeoning humanitarian crisis, drawing global attention as refugees find themselves trapped in a perilous situation. What started as a political standoff between the European Union (EU) and Belarus has evolved into a dire situation at the border, with vulnerable individuals bearing the brunt of the escalating tensions. The crisis began in 2021 when Belarus, under President Alexander...
Category - Refugees
The Medyka-Shehyni border crossing has become emblematic of the humanitarian and racial complexities that emerged in the early days of the war in Ukraine. While Poland opened its borders to millions of Ukrainian refugees fleeing the Russian invasion in February 2022, the initial wave of solidarity revealed underlying racial biases and inequities in the treatment of refugees. The Humanitarian Divide During the first days of the conflict, images...
In 2015, the Greek island of Lesbos became one of the main entry points into Europe for people fleeing war and persecution in Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan, and beyond. Each day, dozens of overcrowded rubber boats arrived from the Turkish coast, carrying families who had risked everything to cross the Aegean Sea. Local residents and volunteers from across Europe quickly formed spontaneous aid networks to help the exhausted and traumatized newcomers...
Thousands of refugees have crossed from Serbia into Croatia after being stranded in deteriorating conditions for days. The United Nations refugee agency estimates that 2,000 to 3,000 people were allowed to enter Croatia, which will likely increase the strain on neighboring Slovenia. The situation has worsened as Turkey insists it should not be expected to turn into a “concentration camp” for refugees, even if it tightens its borders...
19.10.2015, Trnovec, Slovenia/CroatiaAs the migration crisis in Europe continues, tensions rise between Austria, Slovenia, and Croatia over dealing with thousands of refugees stranded in the Balkans. The countries accuse each other of allowing migrants to cross their borders without taking responsibility. Slovenia has limited the number of refugees allowed to cross from Croatia, claiming Germany and Austria are also reducing the numbers they...
The Röszke Horgos refugee camp, located on the Hungarian-Serbian border, has become a stark representation of the ongoing refugee crisis in Europe. As the influx of refugees and migrants continues, camps like Röszke Horgos have become a focal point for the humanitarian issues faced by those fleeing war, persecution, and poverty. Established in 2015, the Röszke Horgos camp quickly gained notoriety for its appalling living conditions and the harsh...
In the summer of 2015, the area surrounding Budapest’s Keleti Railway Station became an unexpected and harrowing epicenter of the European refugee crisis. Thousands of refugees, primarily from Syria, Iraq, and Afghanistan, found themselves stranded at Keleti Station Square, transforming the area into a makeshift camp and a vivid illustration of the human toll of war and displacement. As the number of refugees arriving in Budapest surged...
On September 1, 2015, an anti-immigrant protest organized by the far-right People’s Party Our Slovakia (ĽSNS) and its leader Marian Kotleba took place in the city of Trnava. Around two hundred supporters gathered at Trojičné Square, chanting nationalist slogans and displaying anti-immigrant banners. The rally remained mostly peaceful, although one incident occurred when protesters tore a sign reading “I’m ashamed of you” from a young man’s hands...
Germany/Austria, Refugees
V33: “Refugees Are Welcome Here” Demonstration for Solidarity and Human Dignity in Berlin
On 21 June 2015, thousands of people gathered in the centre of Berlin to mark World Refugee Day with a peaceful march under the slogan “Refugees Are Welcome Here.” The demonstration began in the multicultural district of Kreuzberg and continued toward the Brandenburg Gate, filling the streets with banners, music, and messages of support for people fleeing war, violence, and poverty. Participants called for open borders, the protection of human...