IDOMENI, Greece (Reuters) - Hundreds of Moroccans, Algerians and Pakistanis tried to storm the Greek-Macedonian border on Thursday (Nov 26), tearing down part of the barbed wire at the crossing and demanding to continue their journey to northern Europe.

They were among about 1,500 migrants who have been stranded near Greece's northern border town of Idomeni by a European policy of filtering migrants into the Balkans which only allows those fleeing conflict in Syria, Afghanistan and Iraq to cross.

Some protesters threw stones at police while others fell to their knees shouting "We want to go to Germany."

A few ran across into Macedonia but were quickly detained by police. Police in riot gear guarded some 30 to 40 metres of the fence which was tore down, and a Reuters photographer saw riot police armed with assault rifles.