Poland uses water cannons against migrants at Belarus border

By VANESSA GERA and DARIA LITVINOVA
Associated Press

WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Polish forces at the border with Belarus used water cannons and tear gas against stone-throwing migrants, as Warsaw accused Belarusian authorities of giving smoke grenades and other weapons to those trying to cross the frontier. The events marked an escalation in a crisis on the European Union’s eastern border, where the West has accused President Alexander Lukashenko of using the migrants as pawns to destabilize the 27-nation bloc in retaliation for sanctions on his authoritarian regime. Belarus denies orchestrating the crisis. The Poland Border Guard agency released video showing a water cannon being directed across the border at migrants who threw objects at them. Polish authorities seven policemen, one soldier and a female border guard were injured.