Poland uses water hoses at border; blames Belarus for attack

By VANESSA GERA and DARIA LITVINOVA
Associated Press

WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Polish border forces say they were attacked with stones by migrants at the border with Belarus and have responded with water cannons. The Border Guard agency posted video on Twitter showing a cannon being directed across the border at migrants in a makeshift camp in freezing weather. Polish police said some of the migrants were given gas grenades and other weapons by Belarusian forces, who directed the violent operation with a drone. The Defense Ministry said that Belarusian forces tried to destroy fencing along the countries’ common border, which is also the eastern flank for the European Union and NATO. Poland says the migrants are being used by Belarus to destabilize the EU. Both Belarus and Russia criticized Poland for using water cannons.