Images as harrowing as they are hopeful have emerged from Hungary overnight, as Austria and Germany took strides in the escalating refugee crisis culminating in Budapest.
Over 1000 refugees began to leave Budapest by foot and by bus on Friday evening, traveling Westward to Austria and Germany.
The march followed a days-long standoff between authorities and refugees attempting to leave Hungary by train this week. A now-iconic image from the chaos and clashes on the ground emerged yesterday, as a refugee protested the makeshift “migrant camps” by pulling his family on to train tracks.
Refugees holding baby threw themselves onto tracks in protest of being taken to Hungarian camp http://t.co/LE8uIFqgkO pic.twitter.com/fcF9gwLMTK
— New York Daily News (@NYDailyNews) September 3, 2015
Austrian Chancellor Werner Faymann made an announcement on Facebook last night, confirming that the German and Austrian borders would be open for the escalating flow of refugees.
“Because of today’s emergency situation on the Hungarian border, Austria and Germany agree in this case to a continuation of the refugees’ journey into their countries,” Faymann said.
Hungary had previously rushed anti-migration laws through their Parliament, in attempt to curb migrants from entering the EU state.
A “human highway” of families traveling on foot and by bus has now been paved.
This human highway took my breath away. For these refugees – and thousands more – all roads lead to Europe @SBSNews pic.twitter.com/kJZPcyljvO
— Brett Mason (@BrettMasonNews) September 4, 2015
German Chancellor Angela Merkel has maintained, according to the Guardian, a promise to accept unprecedented-levels of refugees into Germany without raising taxes in the country. Germany is expected to accept over 800,000 refugees—four times the amount they accepted in 2014—this year.
For comparison’s sake, Australia currently accepts around 13,750 refugees per year, according to the Refugee Council.
Today, Greens leader Richard Di Natale and Senator Sarah Hanson Young have called on the Australian Government to welcome more Syrian refugees.
This is what welcoming refugees looks like.
images by Matt Cardy via Getty.
