10/09/2015

MigrantTideBringingOutEuropesBestandWorstTheNewYorkTimes

http://nyti.ms/1KarrPx

EUROPE

MigrantTideBringingOutEuropesBest
andWorst
ByMELISSAEDDY

SEPT.9,2015

BERLINThousandsofvolunteershaveheededcallstohelpthestreamof
migrantsarrivinginEuropeinrecentdays,cheeringthemattrainstations
inAustriaandGermanyandshoweringthemwithfood,drinksandtoys.
Butsignsoftensionhavecontinuedtoappearthisweek,eveninthemost
welcomingcountries,reflectingfear,misunderstandingorracismasthe
Continentstrugglestocopewithaninfluxoftensofthousandsofpeople.
OnTuesday,ajournalistinHungarywasseenoncameradeliberately
trippingamigrantwhowascarryingachildthroughafield.OnWednesday,
theauthoritiesinGermanyreportedyetanothersuspectedarsonattackon
arefugeeshelter,andmigrantstryingtocrossDenmarksaidthepolice
therehadphysicallyforcedthemontobuses.
ThepoliceinDenmarksaidscuffleshadbrokenoutbetweenofficers
andgroupsofmigrantsatthetrainstationinPadborg,justacrossthe
borderwithGermany,wheresomemigrantshadstagedasitinafterbeing
takenofftrainsandblockedfromcontinuingtheirjourneytoSweden.
SinceacenterrightgovernmenttookoverinDenmarkthisyear,the
countryhascutassistancebenefitsforrefugeesbyhalfafactthe
governmentsoughttomakeclearbytakingoutadvertisementsina
newspaperinLebanon,wherehundredsofthousandsofSyrianrefugees
havefled.

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/10/world/europe/migrantsrefugeetensionsineurope.html?hp=

1/4

10/09/2015

MigrantTideBringingOutEuropesBestandWorstTheNewYorkTimes

Asaresult,somemigrantswhodeclinedtoapplyforasylumin
GermanyhavesoughttopassthroughDenmarkinhopesofpressing
farthernorthtoSwedenorNorway.
TwoboysfromDarfur,SudanAliEissa,16,andhisfriendAhmad
Adam,15wereamongagroupofabout200migrantswhostormedoutof
amigrantreceptioncenterinaformerschoolintheDanishtownof
Padborg,determinedtowalktheroughly300milestoSwedenafterbeing
removedfromatrainboundforMalmo,Sweden,andtoldtoapplyfor
asylumorreturntoGermany.
WearegoingtoSweden,Alisaid.Whentolditwasveryfar,he
replied,Noproblem,wecango.
AlisaidhewasstunnedbythehostilityoftheDanishpolice,including
somewhohadpushedpeopletryingtomarchontobusesafterofficersin
Germanyhadallowedthemtoleavethatcountry.
HelleLundberg,aspokeswomanforthepoliceintheSouthJutland
region,saidthetensionshadbeencausedbyofficerstryingtoenforcea
safetysituation.ShesaidtheywereenforcingDanishandEuropeanlaws
prohibitinganyonewithoutvalidtraveldocumentsfromleavingthe
country,excepttoreturntowheretheyhadcomefrom.
Thepolicewereforcedtoclosethemainhighwayrunningnorthfrom
theGermanborderlaterWednesday,aftermigrantsrefusedtoleave.
Journalistswerebannedfromthehighway,andanoflyzonewasput
inplaceaboveitonthegroundsthathelicoptersandlowflyingplanes
wouldscarethosemarching,thepolicesaid.
Denmarksnationalrailway,DSB,saidithadstoppedalltraintravel
betweenDenmarkandGermanyafterapolicerequest.
Ms.Lundbergsaiditwasasafetymeasuretopreventthoseblocking
therailwaystationfrombeingharmed.

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/10/world/europe/migrantsrefugeetensionsineurope.html?hp=

2/4

10/09/2015

MigrantTideBringingOutEuropesBestandWorstTheNewYorkTimes

AsthetensionsinsouthernDenmarkgrew,thecountrysjustice
minister,SorenPindwhoseFacebookpagefeaturedanimageofJohn
WayneasSheriffJohnT.ChancefromRioBravocutshortatriptothe
UnitedStatesonWednesdaytoreturnhome,postingthatthesituation
demandedhispresence.
ChancellorAngelaMerkelofGermanyrepeatedherdenunciationof
farrightviolenceagainstmigrantsinaspeechtoParliamenton
Wednesday,evenasthepolicereportedanothersuspectedarsonattackon
ashelterovernight.
ThepoliceinthewesternstateofSaarlandsaidafirehadbrokenout
earlyWednesdayinaformerschoolthatwasbeingconvertedtotakein
dozensofmigrants.
Itwasthethirdblazeinashelterthisweek,althoughthepolicehave
saidthattheybelieveonewascausedbyafaultywire.
TheGermanauthoritieshaverecordedmorethan200attacks
targetingfacilitiesforasylumseekersoragainstindividualsinthefirsthalf
oftheyear.
ManyGermanshavebeenoutragedbytheviolencetakingplacein
theircountry,helpingspurtheoutpouringofgenerositythathasbeenseen
overthepastweek.
InHungaryonTuesday,avideocapturedaHungariancamerawoman,
identifiedasPetraLaszlo,kickingamigrantfleeingfromthepoliceina
fieldneartheborderwithSerbiawheremanymigrantscross.
TheN1TVInternettelevisionchannel,whichworkstopopularizethe
antiimmigrantJobbikparty,saidinastatementonWednesdaythatMs.
Laszlohadbeenfiredforbehavinginanunacceptablemanner.
BylateWednesday,aPetraLaszloShameWallonFacebookhad
garneredsupportfrommorethan22,000peopledecryingheractions.

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/10/world/europe/migrantsrefugeetensionsineurope.html?hp=

3/4

10/09/2015

MigrantTideBringingOutEuropesBestandWorstTheNewYorkTimes

TherearemanypeoplelikePetraLaszlo,organizerswrote.Thistime
whatshehasdonehasbeencaughtoncamera.Butoften,theseactsremain
silent.
AnemonaHartocolliscontributedreportingfromPadborg,Denmark.
GetnewsandanalysisfromEuropeandaroundtheworlddeliveredtoyour
inboxeverydaywiththeTodaysHeadlines:EuropeanMorningnewsletter.
Signuphere.
AversionofthisarticleappearsinprintonSeptember10,2015,onpageA12oftheNewYork
editionwiththeheadline:MigrantTideBringingOutEuropesBestAndWorst.

2015TheNewYorkTimesCompany

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/10/world/europe/migrantsrefugeetensionsineurope.html?hp=

4/4