Arrests Made in France Over Migrant Crossing Prevention Efforts
French authorities have taken into custody two British activists suspected of attempting to obstruct migrants from crossing the English Channel near Calais.
Boulogne-sur-Mer prosecutor Cécile Gressier confirmed the arrests of two men, ages 35 and 53, stating that their weekend detention stemmed from comments they made online regarding plans to halt illegal migration to Britain via smuggler-operated boats.
The individuals are being investigated for allegedly “inciting hatred” and being part of a group that was contemplating violent actions. It seems this may mark the first arrest of an activist in the UK focused on anti-collective immigration initiatives.
In a video shared on YouTube, one of the suspects declared, “If no one wants to do it, I’m going to guard the beach tonight… If I see a dinghy, I’m going to run as fast as I can and stab it.”
He urged fellow citizens to come to Calais to assist in preventing illegal crossings and insisted that any actions taken should be “without violence.”
“We can only take so much. Too much is too much. This is too much, right? That’s why we’re doing this,” he reportedly stated.
French officials indicated that these actions were part of Operation Overlord, a campaign organized by British activist Danny Tomo, named after a WWII Allied operation that aimed to liberate Nazi-occupied territories by crossing the English Channel.
Just last week, the Nord and Pas-de-Calais regions imposed a ban on large gatherings, extending this prohibition through Wednesday.
Tomo remarked that the increased focus on their group and police presence on French beaches over the weekend had likely deterred potential migrants from attempting the journey to Britain.
“When the public puts pressure on them, the authorities take immediate action. And when the authorities take massive action, the ship stops,” he noted.
“This just shows what is possible. If the same level of enforcement and pressure was applied to illegal immigrants every day, this crisis could be brought under control,” he added.
This situation arises amidst a backdrop where 41,472 illegal migrants made the crossing from French shores in 2025, marking the second-highest annual total recorded. This continues despite British governments allocating substantial funds to France to address illegal immigration and dismantle smuggling networks.
During this time, the left-leaning Labor government has dismissed proposals to withdraw from the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), which would prohibit the return and deportation of ships, a stance supported by Nigel Farage’s Reform UK Party.
