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2025-07-05 Europe
French police slash migrant boat and drag passengers back to shore just as they attempt to cross the Channel for Britain
[Daily Mail, where America gets its news]
Downing Street has hailed the 'toughening' of tactics by French police in the war on small boats as footage emerged of officers slashing a dinghy packed with migrants and dragging the deflated vessel back to dry land.

The Prime Minister's spokesperson has described the new approach as 'significant' - as footage showed gendarmes taking a knife to the boat, which was teeming with people in lifejackets hoping to make it to Britain.

Dramatic footage aired by the BBC shows the officers taking off their utility belts before dashing into the water armed with knives in what looks to be a preview of the new approach being unveiled at a France-UK summit on tackling the issue next week.

A single jab with a blade is all it takes to puncture the boat, which begins rapidly collapsing into the water as the would-be migrants cry out in anger having just boarded the vessel seconds before.

Furious screams can be heard as they scurry to get back to the beach, while children can be seen crying. All the migrants on board managed to make their way safely back to shore.

It's a dramatic new tactic by French police, who have previously said French law prevents them from interfering with boats more than 10 feet from the coast.

The rule is in the process of being scrapped, with France and Britain - but some police appear to be acting early, prompting anger from refugee charities.

Number 10 hailed the actions of French cops on Friday as a 'significant moment' that could have 'a major impact' on smuggling gangs.

Downing Street said the change in stance from French law enforcement was thanks to the Prime Minister's 'reset' in relations with Europe, as he has looked to heal the wounds caused by the Brexit years.

The spokesman said: 'No government has been able to get this level of cooperation with the French. That is important.

'We are looking to see France change its maritime tactics, and that is down to the Prime Minister's efforts to reset our relationship across Europe.'
There’s an interesting graph at the link of cumulative number of migrants who have crossed the channel with a separate line for each year since 2018. This year was working up to being the highest yet.
Posted by Skidmark 2025-07-05 00:18|| E-Mail|| Front Page|| ||Comments [57 views ]  Top
 File under: Migrants/Illegal Immigrants 

#1 Just relocate the boat to the Med side.
Posted by Super Hose 2025-07-05 07:32||   2025-07-05 07:32|| Front Page || Comments   Top

12:44 NoMoreBS
12:43 Mullah Richard
12:27 SteveS
12:23 Albert McCoy9505
12:22 Grom the Affective
12:21 Albert McCoy9505
12:07 trailing wife
12:07 Albert McCoy9505
12:02 Grom the Affective
11:59 trailing wife
11:56 Grom the Affective
11:54 Grom the Affective
11:49 DarthVader
11:45 trailing wife
11:41 Grom the Affective
11:37 swksvolFF
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11:20 alanc
11:05 49 Pan
11:04 ed in texas
11:01 ed in texas
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10:58 badanov
10:55 49 Pan
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