Some 800 people gathered in Berlin on Saturday (July 7), according to police, to show their support for migrants trying to reach Europe and to condemn daily drowning in the Mediterranean.
Carrying banners with slogans such as “imagine it's your family sitting in those boats,” the peaceful demonstrators demonstrated against Frontex, the European border agency.
Germany, the Czech Republic and other EU member states have called for the strengthening of Frontex, with Prague saying last month the agency should be increased to 10,000 staff.
Speaking to Reuters at the protest, leader of the opposition Greens party Robert Habeck said that “a political solution” was needed.
Austria meanwhile has tabled a proposal requiring asylum seekers to file their applications outside the EU in future and only in exceptional cases will they be allowed to do so on member states' soil, Austrian weekly Profil said on Saturday (July 7).
European Union countries, bitterly divided over immigration, agreed in June to process asylum requests in camps around the Mediterranean, including in Africa, and share responsibility for migrants rescued.
Germany, Italy and Austria plan to hold talks next week on how to shut down the Mediterranean route taken by tens of thousands of migrants from Africa to Europe, with Rome calling the situation urgent and “dangerous”.