From the UK to Saudi Arabia, the demand that Syrians and other refugees be accepted is being spread by online campaigns and is a popular topic on word of mouth among netizens.

Public reaction to Europe’s migration crisis has been deeply polarized. Many Europeans are dismayed by the news of the migrant deaths, and there have been several massive protests demanding stricter controls on the influx.

But in recent days there has been a pattern of activism on the internet with a very clear set of demands: Now is the time to relax the borders and let refugees, especially Syrians, flee the war.

A promise from Iceland

More than 12,000 people have shown their support for an Icelandic writer on Facebook who pleads to host more refugees in her country. It may seem little support, but keep in mind that the total population of Iceland is around 300,000. Although, according to some media, not everyone who joined the group created by Bryndis Bjorgvinsdottir is offering shelter to at least one refugee.

On the other hand, the Icelandic government has responded to the media pressure and has stated that it will offer asylum to the point of only receiving 50 hospice applications a year. However, not everyone is in favor. “Islam is not fully compatible with Europe, ” read one of the comments at the event. Still, most of the comments are largely positive and strongly support Bjorgvinsdottir’s initiative.

The large number of followers in such a small country drew worldwide attention. “Thank you Icelanders for raising your head again as citizens – not only of Iceland, but also of the world,” said one American commentator . “It is a great country, a great people.”

Arab countries shame you

The promise made by Icelanders on Facebook also attracted particular attention in the Arab world. Of the four million Syrian refugees who have fled the war in their country, the majority have fled to neighboring countries – Turkey, Lebanon or Jordan. But despite their proximity to the Syrian borders, Syrians seeking asylum in Saudi Arabia and other wealthy Gulf countries have not been welcomed.

Faced with this situation, a multitude of Arab human rights activists started a hashtag to try to shame their governments into taking action: “Syrian refugees have a place in the Gulf.”

The label did not generate a huge number of tweets, but the words Iceland and Austria became popular in Arabic after a pro-migrant march of more than 20,000 people that occurred on August 31, 2015.

“It is shameful that Iceland and Austria open their doors to Syrians and the Arab Gulf countries do not allow anyone to cross,” tweeted a Palestinian, while a Kuwaiti commented: “Thousands of Icelanders do more for Islam by giving a home to the Syrian refugees make some of our Islamic nations showing few signs of Islamic values. “

“Welcome Refugees” – in the football stadiums of Germany

Germany’s actions have also sparked global interest. Chancellor Angela Merkel’s changes regarding the asylum protocol led to the writing of hundreds of letters of thanks from the Syrian people. More generally, Germany is the main destination for non-European immigrants and expects to host 800,000 people this year – more than the total number that entered the EU in 2014.

The German action that revolutionized the media – generating more than 400,000 twetts in one weekend – was the different banners that were raised in many football stadiums by fans, on them read   “Welcome Refugees.” The Borussia Dortmund Football Club even invited more than 200 refugees to attend a match.

Immigration petitions

One such person inspired by Germany’s approach to migrants from Syria and other conflict zones was the London writer Sue Hubbard. In two days, more than 65,000 involved signed their petition on the Change.org website calling on the UK to provide “immediate asylum for those fleeing the war.”

“I am not a professional activist, ” Hubbard said. ” I had no idea that the petition was going to be so large” he admits while acknowledging that the action is more of a pressure campaign than a detailed plan, he also declares to the media that: “We cannot sit here drinking our lattes while the children drown … I just think that has been enough. “

“We are not asking that they be given permanent residence,” the petition says, “but that as a humanitarian act they be given a place of refuge, while their future is decided.”

While there is little widespread evidence that relaxing migration policy is a popular idea – a recent poll indicated that two-thirds of the UK population would support the British Army’s deployment to Calais to restore order – in the UK, As in Iceland, Germany and the Gulf, the debate over refugee policy remains highly divided.