ATHENS

A solidarity march was held in the Greek capital of Athens late Thursday for migrants and refugees.

Thousands of protesters gathered in front of the University of Athens in the city center and shouted slogans criticizing the European Union's refugee policy.

They walked to the Parliament building in Syntagma Square.

During the march, they held banners saying ‘Greeks and foreigners can work together’ and ‘Death to fascism.’

Turkey announced last week that it would no longer try to stop asylum seekers from reaching Europe.

Thousands of asylum seekers have since flocked to Turkey’s Edirne province which borders Greece and Bulgaria to make their way to Europe.

The Greek reaction to refugees has been harsh, with many battered, attacked, tear-gassed and several killed by Greek forces.

Turkey's decision to open the border came after 34 Turkish soldiers were martyred last week by forces of the Bashar al-Assad regime in Idlib, northwestern Syria. The Turkish soldiers were stationed there to protect local civilians under a 2018 deal with Russia in which acts of aggression are prohibited in the region.

Turkey, which already hosts nearly 4 million Syrian migrants, more than any other country in the world, says it cannot absorb another refugee wave.

Ankara has repeatedly complained that Europe has failed to keep its promises under a 2016 EU-Turkey refugee deal to help migrants and stem further migrant waves.

*Writing by Davut Demircan