French police detained two British anti-migration activists over the weekend in Calais on suspicion of inciting hatred and planning actions to obstruct illegal migrant crossings to Britain. The men, aged 35 and 53, were identified by Boulogne-sur-Mer prosecutor Cécile Gressier as having engaged in online discussions about preventing migrants from reaching England via small boats operated by criminal people-smuggling networks.
One of the arrested individuals used his YouTube channel to recruit others for beach patrols along northern France’s coast, pledging actions “without violence.” In a video statement, he stated: “We can only take in so many, too many is too many, and this is too much, isn’t it? That’s why we’re doing this.”
The arrests connect to an initiative called “Operation Overlord,” organized by British activist Danny Tommo. Named after the Allied landings in Normandy during World War II, the campaign targets people-smuggling operations through beach monitoring efforts. Tommo claims such activities have temporarily disrupted crossings and argued that heightened public pressure could deter illicit migrations.
French authorities have adopted a strict approach toward British activists involved in anti-migrant coastal operations, contrasting with their minimal interference in migrant movements themselves. Recent months have seen France ban several UK figures from entry into the country, accusing them of propaganda, reconnaissance, and attempts to disrupt migrant boats. Meanwhile, Britain’s Labour Party government has rejected calls by Reform Party leader Nigel Farage to turn vessels back at sea or withdraw from the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) to ease deportations, labeling such measures unlawful and dangerous.
The developments occur amid broader integration challenges in regions with high asylum intakes, where data indicates a significant proportion of schoolchildren do not speak English.
