Earlier this week, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban moved to stem the flow of Syrian refugees across his country’s border with Serbia by first constructing a 100-mile fence and subsequently authorizing the arrest and prosecution of migrants who attempt to breach the barrier and enter the country illegally.

Orban then sent the military and mounted police to patrol the border.

This left thousands of asylum seekers bound for Germany stranded in Serbia, staring up at 12 feet of razor wire and pondering a new route to the German “promised land.” For its part, Serbia has been transporting migrants to the border with Croatia, which says it will “direct” the refugees to where they want to go.

Needless to say, Orban’s border crackdown transformed an already tense situation into a veritable powder keg and on Wednesday, Hungary sent in the riot police at which point the angry migrants reportedly “became aggressive” and tried to breach the fence.

Next came the tear gas and water cannons.

Below, find the visuals courtesy of Reuters:

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And meanwhile, in Germany...