Police pepper spray refugees attempting to enter Hungary

Video emerged on Thursday of police officers pepper spraying a group of Syrian refugees attempting to cross into Hungary from Serbia in the night on 30 August.

After a group of migrants - men, women and young children - pleaded with the guards to let them pass, they began to walk towards the barbed wire fence at the border, a New York Times video shows.

A woman and her 18-month-old child then led the way as the group headed towards the fence. When they came within inches of the border police, they were sprayed in the eyes.

Chaos ensued, and the refugees coughed and screamed in pain as they ran back to the Serbian side of the border.

“My little love can’t open his eyes,” the mother of the 18-month-old told the Times reporters at the scene. “He gestured for me to come before he sprayed me and my baby, the low-life."

Later, the police got into a car and drove away. Then the refugees headed back towards the border fence.

Hungarian police have not responded to the Times' request for comment.