Denmark blocks routes to Germany to halt refugee flow

Danish police closed a motorway and rail links with Germany on Wednesday in a bid to stem the flow of refugees heading north to Sweden, as Europe’s crisis spreads northward. Vast numbers of people, many fleeing war and Islamic State in Syria, are trying to reach safety in EU countries willing to have them. Most have headed to Germany, but Sweden is also a favorite destination. Both countries have more generous policies for refugees than their EU neighbors.

Things are nice and calm. But of course some people are bit tense.

Anne Soe, police spokeswoman in the Danish port city of Roedby.

Under EU rules, people seeking asylum should do so in the first EU country they enter and not travel from one country to another. Many of the migrants say they want to go to Sweden, Norway or Finland, because they have relatives there or believe that the conditions for asylum-seekers are better.

We know that many of them want to go to Sweden, but naturally we cannot let that happen.

Police spokesman Carsten Andersen.

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