In a bold move to maintain law and order, the French interior ministry has announced a ban on 10 British anti-migrant activists who were reportedly involved in harassment and hate-inciting tactics against migrants in the country. The decision comes in response to reports that members of the “Raise the Colours” movement had conducted anti-migrant activities on French soil.
On Tuesday, “territorial bans were issued against 10 British nationals, identified as activists within the movement and having carried out actions on French territory,” the interior ministry said in a statement. They stressed that “violent and hate-inciting tactics have no place in our territory,” emphasising France’s unwavering commitment to the rule of law.
The individuals targeted by the ban have not been named, and the specific actions that led to the decision have not been disclosed. However, the move is seen as a strong message against the rising tide of anti-migrant rhetoric and harassment from far-right groups in the region.
The high number of asylum seekers arriving in the UK on small boats has fuelled a surge in anti-migrant sentiment, with groups like the UK Independence Party (UKIP) and Raise the Colours travelling to northern France to harass and livestream footage of themselves confronting asylum seekers waiting to cross the Channel.
Raise the Colours has denounced the French authorities’ decision, calling it “absolutely disgraceful.” A spokesperson for the group stated that they have not yet received formal notification of the administrative measures, and that Raise the Colours has always maintained that its activities must remain peaceful and within the legal framework.
The French government’s crackdown on these British activists comes after previous investigations into alleged “aggravated assault” incidents involving individuals carrying British and English flags in coastal areas near Dunkirk. In one incident, a man was filmed cutting a small inflatable boat, declaring that it “is not going to England,” while in another, a man waded into the sea, shouting at people boarding a dinghy and telling them they were “not welcome in our country.”
Georgie Laming, the director of campaigns at the anti-extremism organisation Hope Not Hate, welcomed the news, stating that the Raise the Colours team had been harassing both migrants and charity workers in northern France for months. She expressed satisfaction that the group’s harassment campaign has been effectively curbed.
The French government’s decisive action sends a clear message that intolerance and hate-fuelled tactics will not be tolerated on its soil. As the debate over immigration and asylum policies continues, this move underscores France’s commitment to upholding the rule of law and protecting the rights and dignity of all individuals within its borders.
