Violent clashes on the Hungarian border | photos
Migrants remonstrate with Hungarian police before they were hit with pepper spray, water cannons and tear gas at the Horgos border post on September 16, 2015 in Horgos, Serbia. Hungary has introduced tough new laws to administer the influx of migrants and has declared a state of emergency in two of it's counties close to the border. The new laws have created a dead end for migrants arriving at the Horgos frontier post, resulting in clashes with migrants and Hungarian police. (Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)
Migrants remonstrate with Hungarian riot police as an attempt is made to break the border post gate and pull down the razor wire fence on September 16, 2015 in Horgos, Serbia. Hungary has introduced tough new laws to administer the influx of migrants and has declared a state of emergency in two of it's counties close to the border. The new laws have created a dead end for migrants arriving at the Horgos frontier post, resulting in clashes with migrants and Hungarian police. (Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)
As darkness falls after clashes with Hungarian police, an injured migrant searches for his belongings on September 16, 2015 in Horgos, Serbia. Hungary has introduced tough new laws to administer the influx of migrants and has declared a state of emergency in two of it's counties close to the border. The new laws have created a dead end for migrants arriving at the Horgos frontier post, resulting in clashes with migrants and Hungarian police. (Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)
Migrants remonstrate with Hungarian police before they were hit with pepper spray, water cannons and tear gas at the Horgos border post on September 16, 2015 in Horgos, Serbia. Hungary has introduced tough new laws to administer the influx of migrants and has declared a state of emergency in two of it's counties close to the border. The new laws have created a dead end for migrants arriving at the Horgos frontier post, resulting in clashes with migrants and Hungarian police. (Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)
Hungarian riot police fire pepper spray as they repel an attempt by migrants to break the border post gate and pull down the razor wire fence on September 16, 2015 in Horgos, Serbia. Hungary has introduced tough new laws to administer the influx of migrants and has declared a state of emergency in two of it's counties close to the border. The new laws have created a dead end for migrants arriving at the Horgos frontier post, resulting in clashes with migrants and Hungarian police. (Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)
A migrant throws rocks and other objects at Hungarian riot police as they try to break the border post gate and pull down the razor wire fence on September 16, 2015 in Horgos, Serbia. Hungary has introduced tough new laws to administer the influx of migrants and has declared a state of emergency in two of it's counties close to the border. The new laws have created a dead end for migrants arriving at the Horgos frontier post, resulting in clashes with migrants and Hungarian police. (Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)
As darkness falls after clashes with Hungarian police, migrants begin to settle down for the night on September 16, 2015 in Horgos, Serbia. Hungary has introduced tough new laws to administer the influx of migrants and has declared a state of emergency in two of it's counties close to the border. The new laws have created a dead end for migrants arriving at the Horgos frontier post, resulting in clashes with migrants and Hungarian police. (Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)
A migrant throws a shoe at Hungarian riot police as an attempt is made to break the border post gate and pull down the razor wire fence on September 16, 2015 in Horgos, Serbia. Hungary has introduced tough new laws to administer the influx of migrants and has declared a state of emergency in two of it's counties close to the border. The new laws have created a dead end for migrants arriving at the Horgos frontier post, resulting in clashes with migrants and Hungarian police. (Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)
As darkness falls after clashes with Hungarian police, migrants queue for food being distriuted by volunteers on September 16, 2015 in Horgos, Serbia. Hungary has introduced tough new laws to administer the influx of migrants and has declared a state of emergency in two of it's counties close to the border. The new laws have created a dead end for migrants arriving at the Horgos frontier post, resulting in clashes with migrants and Hungarian police. (Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)
A migrant girl is overcome by pepper spray and tear gas after Hungarian police repelled an attempt by migrants to break the border post gate and pull down the razor wire fence on September 16, 2015 in Horgos, Serbia. Hungary has introduced tough new laws to administer the influx of migrants and has declared a state of emergency in two of it's counties close to the border. The new laws have created a dead end for migrants arriving at th
A migrant throws rocks and other objects at Hungarian riot police as they try to break the border post gate and pull down the razor wire fence on September 16, 2015 in Horgos, Serbia. Hungary has introduced tough new laws to administer the influx of migrants and has declared a state of emergency in two of it's counties close to the border. The new laws have created a dead end for migrants arriving at the Horgos frontier post, resulting in clashes with migrants and Hungarian police. (Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)
As darkness falls after clashes with Hungarian police, migrants queue for food being distriuted by volunteers on September 16, 2015 in Horgos, Serbia. Hungary has introduced tough new laws to administer the influx of migrants and has declared a state of emergency in two of it's counties close to the border. The new laws have created a dead end for migrants arriving at the Horgos frontier post, resulting in clashes with migrants and Hungarian police. (Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)
Migrants remonstrate with Hungarian police before they were hit with pepper spray, water cannons and tear gas at the Horgos border post on September 16, 2015 in Horgos, Serbia. Hungary has introduced tough new laws to administer the influx of migrants and has declared a state of emergency in two of it's counties close to the border. The new laws have created a dead end for migrants arriving at the Horgos frontier post, resulting in clashes with migrants and Hungarian police. (Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)
As darkness falls after clashes with Hungarian police, migrants begin to settle down for the night on September 16, 2015 in Horgos, Serbia. Hungary has introduced tough new laws to administer the influx of migrants and has declared a state of emergency in two of it's counties close to the border. The new laws have created a dead end for migrants arriving at the Horgos frontier post, resulting in clashes with migrants and Hungarian police. (Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)
A migrant remonstrates with Hungarian riot police as an attempt is made to break the border post gate and pull down the razor wire fence on September 16, 2015 in Horgos, Serbia. Hungary has introduced tough new laws to administer the influx of migrants and has declared a state of emergency in two of it's counties close to the border. The new laws have created a dead end for migrants arriving at the Horgos frontier post, resulting in clashes with migrants and Hungarian police. (Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)
As darkness falls after clashes with Hungarian police, migrants clamour for food being distributed by volunteers on September 16, 2015 in Horgos, Serbia. Hungary has introduced tough new laws to administer the influx of migrants and has declared a state of emergency in two of it's counties close to the border. The new laws have created a dead end for migrants arriving at the Horgos frontier post, resulting in clashes with migrants and Hungarian police. (Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)
As darkness falls after clashes with Hungarian police, migrants begin to settle down for the night on September 16, 2015 in Horgos, Serbia. Hungary has introduced tough new laws to administer the influx of migrants and has declared a state of emergency in two of it's counties close to the border. The new laws have created a dead end for migrants arriving at the Horgos frontier post, resulting in clashes with migrants and Hungarian police. (Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)
Migrants wait at the border post of Hungary and Serbia at Horgos frontier on September 16, 2015 in Horgos, Serbia. Hungary has introduced tough new laws to administer the influx of migrants and has declared a state of emergency in two of it's counties close to the border. The new laws have created a dead end for migrants arriving at the Horgos frontier post, resulting in clashes with migrants and Hungarian police. (Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)
As darkness falls after clashes with migrants, Hungarian police hold the line at the border on September 16, 2015 in Horgos, Serbia. Hungary has introduced tough new laws to administer the influx of migrants and has declared a state of emergency in two of it's counties close to the border. The new laws have created a dead end for migrants arriving at the Horgos frontier post, resulting in clashes with migrants and Hungarian police. (Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)
A migrant girl is overcome by pepper spray and tear gas after Hungarian police repelled an attempt by migrants to break the border post gate and pull down the razor wire fence on September 16, 2015 in Horgos, Serbia. Hungary has introduced tough new laws to administer the influx of migrants and has declared a state of emergency in two of it's counties close to the border. The new laws have created a dead end for migrants arriving at the Horgos frontier post, resulting in clashes with migrants and Hungarian police. (Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)
Horgos, Serbia: Europe's refugee crisis got ugly at 3.30pm on Wednesday on a hot, dusty road at the border of Serbia and Hungary.
On the Serbian side, hundreds of refugees pressed against metal barriers thrown across the border.
Thousands had been arriving by coach all day, some had been there for days, after Hungary closed the borders to all. Tents stretched back into the fields on either side and migrants lined the roads for kilometres around. A makeshift refugee camp was taking shape.
On the other side of the border, serried ranks of Hungarian riot police pushed back at the barriers with their shields.
Behind them water cannons on a truck swivelled threateningly. And between the shields, pepper spray cans were pointed at the crowd.
The mood was tense. A migrant with a loudhailer and a cheeky, pleading turn of phrase directed a stream-of-consciousness monologue at the Hungarian police lines.
"We love the country Hungary! These people they are suffering. The children. The women, everybody. The sick. Everybody. Not us. No problem!"
He led the crowd in a chant. "O-pen! O-pen! O-pen the door!"
Next to me, a few metres from the front line, Ali from Iraq held a makeshift sign saying, "Freedom of Movement".
"I think the police is very bad," he said.
His friend Appas said he was not scared but "we are excited. We love Merkel, Merkel will always help us and let us enter his country.
"Police, maybe if they don't let us cross, anything we will cross. We don't care. There is no way back to my country. I will keep looking. Freedom is expensive."
The price was about to get higher.
Two young men pushed their way through the throng to the barrier and flung water bottles at the riot police's shields, expressing their anger. Perhaps they were trying to provoke a reaction.
They got it.
Suddenly there was the hiss of pepper spray. Our eyes stinging, we fled back down the road. Women and children were crying, wiping their eyes.
I cannot be sure, but this may have been when the first tear gas canister was also shot over the border. There were more to come, aimed to push the crowd back down the road.
First a few, then more of the migrants decided to return fire. First they threw water bottles. Then apples, which had been distributed by charities back down the road. Then, oddly, corn on the cob.