European migrant crisis spills into an unprepared Hungary
BUDAPEST -- There's a crush of humanity flooding into Europe to escape war and poverty on two continents. The chaos has reached Hungary, where refugees are stranded as governments argue over what to do.
By early morning there were already hundreds of refugees at Budapest's main train station, hoping to get to Germany.
But frustration soon boiled over when Hungarian police shut the station down, and tried to force them back.
After having traveled so far, more than 1,000 migrants are now within 100 yards away from the last leg of their journey to Germany, but they are barred from getting anywhere near it.
One train left for Munich without any migrants on board, leaving hundreds exhausted and stranded. The refugees had reason for hope Tuesday. Hundreds had managed to leave Hungary by train Monday night.
But in the chaos and despair here, the situation seems to change by the hour -- and European governments seem no closer to figuring out what to do.
In the crowd we saw a familiar face: Mohammed Bazav, a Syrian refugee we met Monday as he was dodging police at the Serbian border.
He was asked where he was sleeping.
"Here, here, in the street," he said, pointing. "Yes, other humans here, all the people sleep in the street."
Amar and Najeen are also Syrian refugees. They fled the ongoing war in Homs. They spent all they had left on train tickets, which turned out to be worthless.
"The train is closed and no money," said Amar. "Now I don't have any money, all the people don't have any money (sic). All the people."
They just got married last year and were hoping to start a new life in Europe. The last time they ate was "two days," said Najeen, crying.
Trapped and exhausted, Najeen said she wishes she never left Syria.
Even though migrants were shut out of the train station, they're everywhere in this city: in parks, in the streets, and the subway. And they've told us if they can't get onto trains, they'll jump in the back of smugglers' trucks, or walk - anything to get to the richer countries further north.
