The group of hopeful refugees and asylum seekers chanted "open the border" at Macedonian riot police. Some had taped their mouths shut — others went to the extreme of sewing their lips together with string.
The Western Balkan route for refugees has become the most trodden path to Europe. But people are being held back by unofficial border controls and fences under guard from the army and police officers.
Slovenia recently declared it would only allow migrants from Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan to enter the country and would send all other "economic migrants" back to their country of origin. Other countries on the Western Balkan route are now following in their footsteps, leaving thousands of people stranded at border checkpoints in Croatia, Serbia and Macedonia.
It's thought that half a million refugees have passed through Macedonia so far this year, where border tensions with riot police are increasingly escalating. Crowds of Iranians and Moroccans, as well as Bangladeshi migrants have blocked the railway line on the country's border with Greece.
The group, stuck in the area are mainly from Iran and are desperate to continue their journey towards Northern Europe.
Concerns over chaotic scenes at borders across Europe continues.
Migrants with their mouths sewn shut say a thousand words about the decision by some EU countries to clamp down on the free movement of people within Europe's Schengen zone.
