France has banned 10 British far-right activists for actions in France intended to stop migrants crossing to England on small boats, the interior ministry said Wednesday.
Immigration has become a central political issue in the United Kingdom, as the government seeks to stem a wave of undocumented migrants arriving on English shores after paying smugglers to cross the Channel.
The arrivals have fuelled rising anger on the British far right, and since last year videos have circulated of anti-migrant activists visiting France to take matters into their own hands.
France’s interior ministry said it took action following reports that members of the “Raise the Colours” movement had conducted anti-migrant activities in France.
On Tuesday, “territorial bans were issued against 10 British nationals, identified as activists within the movement and having carried out actions on French soil”, it said.
It did not immediately name the 10 people, or the exact nature of their actions in France.
But French authorities have opened an investigation over an alleged “aggravated assault” on migrants in September in a coastal area near the northern city of Dunkirk.
Four men carrying British and English flags verbally and physically assaulted a group of migrants in Grand-Fort-Philippe on the night on September 9 to 10, telling them they were not welcome in England, a charity working with migrants told AFP.
– ‘Disgraceful’ ban –
“Raise the Colours” denounced the ban as “absolutely disgraceful” in a post to X.
Another of its social media accounts, this one on Instagram, whose profile logo includes the words “Operation France”, late last year posted videos of anti-immigration activists on France’s northern coastline.
In one video posted in November, a man filmed himself on a French beach, saying he had found a small inflatable boat buried in the sand and had slashed it.
“That is not going to England,” said the man, who elsewhere has called himself Ryan Bridge.
In another post published earlier the same month, he waded into the sea shouting at what appeared to be dozens of undocumented migrants boarding an inflatable dinghy on their way to England.
“You’re not welcome in our country,” he said, calling the passengers “potential rapists, murderers and child abusers”.
The debate about immigration in the United Kingdom last year triggered a new trend of flying English and British flags.
Anti-racism campaigners say far-right activists are behind the main organisers, “Raise the Colours”.
Migrants have long sought to cross the Channel from France to the United Kingdon dreaming of a better life in Britain.
Last year saw the second highest number of undocumented migrants arrive on British shores since the Channel crossings from France began in 2018.
