PICTURES: No Borders Hippies Lead Migrant Death March, Thousands Detained

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Matt Cardy/Getty
Liam Deacon

Blond haired activists with piercings and dreadlocks allegedly led three migrants to their deaths yesterday, distributing inaccurate maps and corralling them across a river. Hundred of migrants have been returned to Greece, and the activists walked free with €250 fines.

Around twelve to fourteen thousand mostly Middle Eastern migrants have been camped for nearly three weeks near the village of Idomeni, ever since the border between Macedonia and Greece was closed off.

However, all of a sudden yesterday several thousand migrants simultaneously embarked on a near four mile trek, across a swollen river, in an attempt to get around the new border fence.

The migrants were equipped with maps to show them the way and ropes to traverse the raging waters.

IDOMENI, GREECE - MARCH 14: Migrants try to cross a river after leaving the Idomeni refugee camp on March 13, 2016 in Idomeni, Greece. The decision by Macedonia to close its border to migrants on Wednesday has left thousands of people stranded at the Greek transit camp. The closure, following the lead taken by neighbouring countries, has effectively sealed the so-called western Balkan route, the main migration route that has been used by hundreds of thousands of migrants to reach countries in western Europe such as Germany. Humanitarian workers have described the conditions at the camp as desperate, which has been made much worse by recent bouts of heavy rain. (Photo by Matt Cardy/Getty Images)

Migrants try to cross a river after leaving the Idomeni refugee camp on March 13, 2016 in Idomeni, Greece. (Matt Cardy/Getty Images)

The Macedonian police and armed forces were quick to catch up with them. Last night police said they had detained 2,445 migrants for illegal crossing, and a further 37 journalists traveling with them.

This morning, they confirmed that 600 migrants have already been returned to Greece.

Petros Tanos, a police spokesman in northern Greece, told Reuters yesterday that they were investigating the media reports of leaflets circulated in the Idomeni camp, urging migrants to march on Monday.

“We do not know who produced it…nor how they found the ropes yet,” he said, referring to ropes used to cross the river.

Those responsible are thought to be mostly German activists, who were photographed assisting the migrants across the river. Those pictures had blond hair, piercings, dreadlocks, and hippy-like attire.

According to Sunday Times journalist Bojan Pancevski, they were find just €250 and set free.

Most shockingly, however, three migrants died during the escapade – reported to be a pregnant woman, her teenage sister and a man. It is not know if the allegedly German activists will be investigated for manslaughter.

IDOMENI, GREECE - MARCH 14: Migrants try to cross a river after leaving the Idomeni refugee camp, on March 14, 2016 in Idomeni, Greece. The decision by Macedonia to close its border to migrants on Wednesday has left thousands of people stranded at the Greek transit camp. The closure, following the lead taken by neighbouring countries, has effectively sealed the so-called western Balkan route, the main migration route that has been used by hundreds of thousands of migrants to reach countries in western Europe such as Germany. Humanitarian workers have described the conditions at the camp as desperate, which has been made much worse by recent bouts of heavy rain. (Photo by Matt Cardy/Getty Images)

March 14, 2016 in Idomeni, Greece. (Matt Cardy/Getty Images)

Migrants and refugee cross a river on their way to Macedonia from a makeshift camp at the Greek-Macedonian border, near the Greek village of Idomeni on March 14, 2016, where thousands of them are stranded by the Balkan border blockade. Hundreds of migrants were stopped by Macedonian soldiers after illegally crossing the border from Greece on March 14, an AFP reporter saw. More than 14,000 people are stuck on the Greek side of the border in an overcrowded camp at Idomeni after the main migrant route to western Europe through the Balkans was effectively shut down last week. / AFP / DANIEL MIHAILESCU (Photo credit should read DANIEL MIHAILESCU/AFP/Getty Images)

Idomeni on March 14, 2016. (DANIEL MIHAILESCU/AFP/Getty Images)

The apparent appearance of left wing, open border agitators in the rapidly growing Greek migrant camps will be seen as alarming by some. Such people have been a fixture in the Calais migrant camp for some time, and have been accused of whipping up violence and coordinating aggressive protests.

Over the weekend, migrants in Idomeni held an aggressive protest, placing babies on railway tracks and demanding open borders. They were equipped with signs, neatly written in English.

Meanwhile, in another demonstration of how desperate migrants are becoming since the so-called Balkans route was “closed”, a Serbian customs spokeswoman said 33 migrants trying to cross into Serbia from Macedonia had been found in an empty cargo train.

The group, aged between 18 and 26, were mainly Afghans, but also included Syrians and Libyans. All but one were men.

IDOMENI, GREECE - MARCH 14: Migrants cross a river after leaving the Idomeni refugee camp on March 14, 2016 in Idomeni, Greece. The decision by Macedonia to close its border to migrants on Wednesday has left thousands of people stranded at the Greek transit camp. The closure, following the lead taken by neighbouring countries, has effectively sealed the so-called western Balkan route, the main migration route that has been used by hundreds of thousands of migrants to reach countries in western Europe such as Germany. Humanitarian workers have described the conditions at the camp as desperate, which has been made much worse by recent bouts of heavy rain. (Photo by Matt Cardy/Getty Images)

March 14, 2016 in Idomeni, Greece. (Matt Cardy/Getty Images)

IDOMENI, GREECE - MARCH 14: Migrants try to cross a river after leaving the Idomeni refugee camp on March 13, 2016 in Idomeni, Greece. The decision by Macedonia to close its border to migrants on Wednesday has left thousands of people stranded at the Greek transit camp. The closure, following the lead taken by neighbouring countries, has effectively sealed the so-called western Balkan route, the main migration route that has been used by hundreds of thousands of migrants to reach countries in western Europe such as Germany. Humanitarian workers have described the conditions at the camp as desperate, which has been made much worse by recent bouts of heavy rain. (Photo by Matt Cardy/Getty Images)

Idomeni, Greece. (Photo by Matt Cardy/Getty Images)

IDOMENI, GREECE - MARCH 14: Migrants trek towards Macedonia after leaving the Idomeni refugee camp on March 13, 2016 in Idomeni, Greece. The decision by Macedonia to close its border to migrants on Wednesday has left thousands of people stranded at the Greek transit camp. The closure, following the lead taken by neighbouring countries, has effectively sealed the so-called western Balkan route, the main migration route that has been used by hundreds of thousands of migrants to reach countries in western Europe such as Germany. Humanitarian workers have described the conditions at the camp as desperate, which has been made much worse by recent bouts of heavy rain. (Photo by Matt Cardy/Getty Images)

Idomeni, Greece. (Photo by Matt Cardy/Getty Images)

Migrants and refugee cross a river on their way to Macedonia from a makeshift camp at the Greek-Macedonian border, near the Greek village of Idomeni on March 14, 2016, where thousands of them are stranded by the Balkan border blockade. Hundreds of migrants were stopped by Macedonian soldiers after illegally crossing the border from Greece on March 14, an AFP reporter saw. More than 14,000 people are stuck on the Greek side of the border in an overcrowded camp at Idomeni after the main migrant route to western Europe through the Balkans was effectively shut down last week. / AFP / SAKIS MITROLIDIS (Photo credit should read SAKIS MITROLIDIS/AFP/Getty Images)

Idomeni on March 14, 2016. (SAKIS MITROLIDIS/AFP/Getty Images)

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