People trying to cross the Channel to the UK have reported more cases of French police using violence on beaches to stop them from getting into dinghies, according to a French NGO.
Utopia 56, which works on the beaches where migrants attempt Channel crossings, says that so far this year, 2,720 people have reported being victims of French police violence. That compares with 1,954 over the same period last year, when overall crossings were much higher.
The organisation says that because of increased enforcement on French beaches—partly funded by the UK—crossings have become more dangerous and chaotic, putting more lives at risk. So far this year, at least 21 people have died trying to cross the Channel to reach the UK.
The NGO’s report claims that the UK and French governments are “the architects of this chaos.” It calls for a complete overhaul of the European asylum system and the creation of safe routes, which it says would stop the boats and put the smugglers out of business.
Under a £660m deal agreed earlier this year between the UK and France, France has deployed a riot squad to try to stop the boats. Reports of violence include beatings and the use of teargas. According to Utopia 56, teargas canisters were used in sand dunes during the recent heatwave, creating a fire risk.
The NGO has documented at least 10 families being separated on French beaches as a result of enforcement action. In one case recorded on 27 July, a woman’s leg was run over by a French gendarmerie buggy racing across a beach to stop a group of migrants.
The briefing, titled “Behind the figures: violent practices, the human cost of repression on the French coast,” was produced in response to a Home Office announcement widely reported on Friday about the success of increased enforcement in stopping the boats.
Crossings have dropped by more than 40% so far this year compared with the same period last year, and the number of people crossing in July was the lowest for that month since 2020.
French police slash small boat as migrants clash with officers
The Home Office said that between 27 April and 2 August, French officers prevented 185 boats and more than 4,300 people from crossing the Channel. It is not known how many of these people later managed to cross.
The Utopia 56 report says: “People do not simply vanish after being intercepted, contrary to what one might believe upon reading the British government statement.”
The Home Office said a large amount of equipment had been seized, including boats, engines, and lifejackets. According to Utopia 56, seizing lifejackets does not deter the smugglers but increases the risk of people drowning.
“This is a policy driven by statistics, implemented with a single goal—stopping the boats—without any regard for the suffering it causes,” the report says. “These figures may appear to prove that the crackdown is working, but they fail to account for the consequences: women, men, and children abandoned on beaches—and, above all, many falling victim to the excesses of the security operation and, consequently, to police violence.”
A Home Office spokesperson said: “This government is bearing down on dangerous small boat crossings and restoring control at our border. Joint efforts have seen over 48,000 crossing attempts prevented and 1,100 boats and engines seized since the election.
“We are making progress, with the number of small boat crossings down this year and the lowest number recorded for the month of July since 2020. But we must go further, which is why we have signed a payment-by-results deal with the French to put 40% more boots on the ground on French beaches.”
France’s interior ministry was approached for comment.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here is a list of FAQs addressing the recent accusations of French police violence regarding Channel crossings
General Context Questions
1 What exactly is happening with French police and Channel crossings
French police are being accused of using increasingly aggressive and violent tactics to stop migrants and refugees from attempting to cross the English Channel in small boats These accusations include physical force pushing people back into the water and using tear gas or other weapons during attempts to prevent launches
2 Why are the police trying to stop these crossings
The French government considers the crossings illegal and extremely dangerous They have a mandate to prevent these departures to maintain public order and to reduce the number of deaths in the Channel which is one of the busiest shipping lanes in the world
3 Are these accusations new
No While the frequency of the accusations has increased recently humanitarian groups and NGOs have been documenting cases of violence and pushbacks for several years However recent viral videos and reports have brought the issue back into the spotlight
4 What is a pushback
A pushback is a term used to describe the practice of forcibly returning migrants to the country they came from without processing their asylum claims In this context it refers to French police intercepting boats and physically forcing them back to the French coast or preventing them from leaving the shore
The Accusations Evidence
5 What specific violent acts are the police accused of
Accusations include firing tear gas canisters directly at people on the beach or in boats using batons to strike migrants puncturing inflatable boats and physically removing people from the water or boats and leaving them on the beach without assistance
6 Is there video evidence of this
Yes Several videos have surfaced on social media and in news reports showing police interventions that appear to show excessive force These videos have been used by NGOs and journalists to support their claims
7 What do the French police say in their defense
French authorities deny accusations of systematic violence They claim their operations are necessary to enforce the law and that they act in selfdefense when confronted by hostile or aggressive groups They also state that their primary goal is to save lives even while preventing the crossings
8 Do the police have the legal right to stop boats
Yes under French law it is a criminal offense to attempt to leave the country illegally Police
