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Going to mama Merkel? Sorry but not today

Date & Time 2020-10-31
Location Subotica, Serbia (Kelebija Crossing)
Reported by Collective Aid
Coordinates 46.16424693, 19.55759136
Pushback from Hungary
Pushback to Serbia
Taken to a police station no
Minors involved no
WLTI* involved no
Men involved yes
Age unknown
Group size 5
Countries of origin Syria
Treatment at police station or other place of detention fingerprints taken, photos taken
Overall number of policemen and policewomen involved 25
Violence used no violence used
Police involved 15 Hungarian police, 10 SWAT/Border police, 6 dogs, 5 police vans

The interviewee, a man from Syria, reported that he left from Sombor, Serbia, with a group of four other people on-the-move in the early hours of 31st October, 2020. After crossing to Hungary, the group walked for approximately 20km until they were apprehended by police between 02:30 – 03:00. While apprehending the group, the officers referred to the fact that the group would not reach Germany.

“Going to mama Merkel? Not today, sorry”.

The respondent reported the presence of 25 police officers during the capture 10-15 of which were described as regular Hungarian police and the other 10 were wearing different uniforms, allegedly part of what he called “SWAT/Border Police”. The authorities also had 5 cars (small vans) and 6 dogs with them (all of them wore a muzzle for the whole time).

After being detained at the site of capture, the authorities put the five members of the group into one car and drove them back to the border crossing next to the city of Subotica, Serbia. Their fingerprints were reportedly taken before the group was filmed by Hungarian police while crossing back the border to Serbia. The pushback occurred near the Kelebija Crossing between Hungary and Serbia.