The UK and French governments are facing growing criticism for failing to deal with anti-migrant activists who travel from Britain to northern France to interfere with migrants attempting to cross the Channel. Aid groups say the lack of action is allowing intimidation, harassment, and xenophobic behaviour to spread unchecked.
In a rare joint move, nine French organisations that work closely with migrants in northern France released a statement condemning both governments. They accused the authorities of not doing enough to prevent British activists from targeting migrants camped along the coast.
One of the groups at the centre of the controversy is Raise the Colours, a British organisation known for displaying St George and union flags across towns in the UK. The group recently launched what it calls “Operation Overlord” and travelled to France to search beaches and sand dunes for small boats believed to be used by migrants.
On Friday, members of the group were seen harassing migrants and looking for dinghies to destroy. Some were detained by French police for several hours before being released. The aid organisation Utopia 56 said it had reported the group’s activities after monitoring their movements and social media posts.
Why are aid groups concerned? They argue that while authorities acknowledge the warnings, nothing has been done to stop activists from accessing migrant areas. According to Utopia 56, continued inaction risks normalising intimidation and putting already vulnerable people in danger.
Raise the Colours has claimed online that thousands of supporters are willing to travel to France to help “stop the boats”. The group has also appealed for equipment such as body armour, drones, thermal cameras, and encrypted radios, presenting itself as a civilian border control force. Some supporters, including people claiming military backgrounds, have called for round-the-clock patrols of French beaches.
Footage of these activities has been livestreamed on social media, further alarming humanitarian groups. Organisations including L’Auberge des Migrants, Médecins du Monde, Human Rights Observers, and the Refugee Women’s Centre say the authorities’ response has been dangerously weak.
In their statement, the groups said that recruitment efforts and fundraising by anti-migrant activists continue without restriction. They warned that allowing such behaviour encourages violence and xenophobia, directly threatening migrants and the organisations supporting them.
The UK Home Office has urged groups not to take the law into their own hands, saying illegal actions will not solve the issue of small boat crossings. Officials added that the government is pursuing new measures to address irregular migration and strengthen border controls.
French authorities have said they are reviewing how small boats are intercepted at sea and plan to set up a new unit in Dunkirk to speed up prosecutions of migrant smugglers. The French interior ministry has been approached for comment, while Raise the Colours has also been asked to respond.