Greek authorities have deployed large fans at the Turkish border to blow back against tear gas and other chemicals fired at the Greek border by migrants allegedly armed by Turkey.
The large fans were attached to the back of pickup trucks and placed along the border area where Greek authorities have come under repeated attack in recent days by migrants armed with tear gas and with Molotov cocktails.
The fans also serve to increase visibility for the Greek authorities, according to a report from Proto Thema, who added that Greek police were also firing blue paint at migrants attempting to cross the border.
Civilians have also formed groups to aid authorities, including local hunters and farmers near the border village of Feres, where an estimated 300 or so volunteers are supplying border guards with coffee, water, and food.
A video widely circulated on social media also showed a local farmer appearing to be spraying some sort of liquid across the border fence towards roving migrants — later revealed to be simple water, intended to dampen the ground and make it harder for migrants to light fires along the border fence.
Proto Thema has released several short videos showing various alleged migrant attacks along the frontier, including a migrant apparently throwing a Molotov cocktail toward Greek border guards.
The European Union border agency, Frontex, has announced it will be sending an additional one hundred border guards.
Executive Director of Frontex, Fabrice Leggeri, commented on the measure, saying: “The presence of 100 officers from all around Europe underlines the fact that the protection of the area of the European area of freedom, security and justice is a shared responsibility of all member-states and Frontex.”
However, some European governments, such as Finland’s, have said they believe Greece’s decision to suspend asylum applications and push migrants back is “wrong” and against EU law, and the European Commissioner for migration has also suggested that the Mediterranean country must accept migrants who claim to be asylum seekers.