Britons have been filming themselves travelling to beaches in France and ‘destroying’ small boats – gaining thousands of views in the process
British History Books
Sanya Burgess is an award-winning journalist whose investigations have led the global news agenda – from the ‘hostage’ ordeal of the Dubai ruler’s daughter, to the rescue of Ukrainian children stolen by Russia.
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”.
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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.”
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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 act after more than 36,000 people
crossed the English Channel in small boats (Photo:
raisethecolours.org.uk/Instagram)
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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”.
One video shared by the group (Photo: raisethecolours.org.uk/nstagram)
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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 that 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.
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Nick
Tenconi, Ukip’s current leader, also posted a video captioned: “In Calais
hunting for illegal invaders trying to cross into Britain.”