British vigilantes slash small migrant boats on French coastline

Article contents:

Britons have been filming themselves travelling to beaches in France and ‘destroying’ small boats – gaining thousands of views in the process

British vigilantes who spearheaded efforts to fly England flags across the country have launched a new anti-migrant protest – attempting to block illegal Channel crossings.

Using the term “Operation Stop The Boats”, members of the group have been filming themselves slashing small boats before they are used by migrants to cross the English Channel from France.

Posts on social media show members calling for other British men to join them in France, including making a direct appeal to football hooligans, saying “we need to make a stand”.

In one video message shared this week by a member of the Raise the Colours group – the grassroots movement that has seen flags fixed to lampposts, motorway bridges and roundabouts across England – two men are seen evoking military language and the spirit of the British fight against the Nazis in the Second World War.

Claiming to be recording from the northern French coast, one said: “Just like in the 1940s, we must take a stand, and it starts with the men of England and Britain.”

Making an appeal to “firms” – a phrase that refers to football hooligan groups – the other man added: “Our country is doing nothing. Weak government, weaker borders.

“They are doing nothing so we need to make a stand boys. Get the lads together, get your firms together, get the lads in the pub, get the lads down the bars, if you’re talking about it and you agree with what we are doing, give us a hand.”

The Government is under pressure to tackle the issue of migration amid a record number of asylum applications, surging small boat crossings and protests at hotels housing asylum seekers.

On Monday, Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood set out a package of reforms to asylum policies aimed at tackling illegal migration, telling MPs the current situation is “out of control and unfair”.

The latest videos shared by those linked to the Raise the Colours group have separately been referred to as “Operation Overlord”.

Earlier clips showed two men saying they were taking matters of illegal migration into their own hands and filming themselves stamping on and smashing a small boat’s engine.

In the clips, they refer to themselves as “patriots” and make a number of claims without evidence, such as that they are stopping “rapists and murderers” from “coming to a town near you”.

The flag-raising group, who have a combined 100,000 followers on X and Instagram, also posted a plea on X for donations last week, writing that they are: “STOPPING The Boats, whether the migrants or government like it or not!.”

Two videos from the group have recently been shared to the 1.7 million X followers of Tommy Robinson. The far-right figure and former leader of the English Defence League, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, has previously been accused of mobilising football hooligan firms in an attempt to launch anti-Muslim rallies across the country.

Separately, French media reports that the Dunkirk Public Prosecutor’s office has opened a preliminary investigation into “aggravated violence” against migrants by suspected British far-right figures.

One of the details being examined by the French prosecutor is the claim that in September four men waving British and UK flags verbally and physically attacked migrants on the French coast. It is alleged they told the migrants they were not welcome in England and proceeded to steal some of their belongings.

The men are not the first anti-migrant figures to travel to France in a bid to take matters into their own hands.

In September, Ukip, Nigel Farage’s former political party, posted a video to their X account showing what appeared to be sleeping migrants in France being woken by people flashing strobe lights in their faces and shouting at them.

Nick Tenconi, Ukip’s current leader, also posted a video captioned: “In Calais hunting for illegal invaders trying to cross into Britain.”

The Home Office and French authorities were contacted for comment.

It’s interesting these guys don’t see the irony of going to another country to commit crime.

The French should be embarrassed that some British civilians are doing what their own police are allegedly incapable of doing. But instead they will just prosecute them and carry on as before.

Can you blame them? All them migrants, taking their benefits. And their jobs(?)

Taking the opportunity to be a doctor or an engineer away from 10 generation away immigrants is not fair

Where’s the evidence that the boats they’ve destroyed are actually those used by smugglers?

So who’s going to tell them that, even if they are spectacularly effective at halting small boat crossings, it will make little difference to overall immigration figures?

Bit suss that they’re just finding the boats being used by these highly organised people smuggling operations just… left unsupervised on the beach where these brave patriots can smash them up.

Any evidence they’re actually even in France or are did they just haul some scrap down to the local beach for a photo op?

Suppose its more politically prudent than writing Rainbow Warrior on the boats and getting the french to destroy them