In a concerning turn of events, British far-right activists have significantly ramped up their harassment and intimidation of asylum seekers in northern France, emboldened by the rightward shift of mainstream British politics. From vandalism and hate graffiti to confrontational tactics, these groups are causing increasing distress and fear among the vulnerable individuals seeking refuge.
The troubling incidents began in the summer of 2024, when self-styled “Active Patriot” Alan Leggett was spotted on French beaches calling for an end to Channel crossings. This was followed by last summer’s visit from UK Independence Party (UKIP) activists, including the party’s leader Nick Tenconi, who were filmed confronting and intimidating Sudanese asylum seekers.
However, the phenomenon has escalated further in recent months. The Birmingham-based anti-migrant group Raise the Colours launched “Operation Overlord” – a series of trips to France aimed at “stopping the boats,” which the group’s then-key figure Daniel Thoma claimed was “for our grandfathers, for our families and above all for our children.”
Raise the Colours has live-streamed footage of its activists harassing asylum seekers waiting to cross the Channel, and has also posted videos of members holding up deflated dinghies that they claim to have slashed, directly preventing some crossings. However, French NGOs supporting asylum seekers say the dinghies had already been abandoned in the sand dunes when Raise the Colours found them.
The intimidation tactics have not been limited to Raise the Colours. UKIP’s Tenconi, who is also the chief operating officer of the UK offshoot of the US organisation Turning Point, has been filmed on visits to France wearing black boots and gloves and shouting “fuck you” at asylum seekers. During another visit, Tenconi and his associates shone torches in the faces of asylum seekers sleeping outdoors, chanting “you shall not pass.”
While the French government has banned 10 unnamed far-right activists associated with Raise the Colours from operating on French soil, the groups appear undeterred. Raise the Colours claims to have recruited 22,000 people to support its “stopping the boats” efforts in northern France, and Thoma has vowed to continue his “Operation Overlord” under different management.
The current situation is deeply concerning for the asylum seekers, who have reported feeling fearful but determined not to rise to the bait of the far-right agitators. Lachlan Macrae of the Calais Food Collective group said his organisation has found water containers stabbed or contaminated, and that the far-right activists have been “harassing people and streaming this content.”
As the far-right’s rhetoric and activity continue to escalate, the plight of the asylum seekers in northern France remains precarious. With no absolute ban on these activists travelling to France, and the UK government’s apparent reluctance to intervene, the vulnerable individuals caught in the crosshairs face an increasingly hostile and threatening environment.