Iraqi and Syrian migrants and asylum-seekers are protesting peacefully on the Greek side of the Greek-Macedonian border since early Saturday, February 27, demanding admission into Macedonia, the Associated Press reports.

Macedonia has effectively shut down the border to all migrants since late Thursday night, when about 50 people were allowed through. Migrant flow along the so-called "Balkan route", through Macedonia, Serbia, Croatia and Slovenia, had slowed to a trickle before that.

About 150 people are currently close to the fence marking the border, carrying placards reading "Open the border" and shouting the same slogan. Earlier Saturday, about 300 staged a similar protest.

About 5,500 migrants are braving rainy weather at a tent camp close to the border and another 500 are camped at a gas station 17 kilometers away.