Ten British “far-right activists” have been banned from France after engaging in actions to stop migrants crossing the English Channel in small boats, the French interior ministry said on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
It said the activists, who belonged to a group called Raise the Colours, had been searching for and destroying small boats along France’s northern coast, and were involved in “propaganda activity”.<\/p>\n
Authorities have not released their identities. BBC News has contacted the UK Foreign Office for comment.<\/p>\n
In a statement, Raise the Colours said it had always maintained that its activities must remain peaceful and within the law and it “does not support violence or any unlawful activity”.<\/p>\n
The ministry said it became aware of the group’s actions in December 2025 which were likely to cause “serious disturbances to public order”.<\/p>\n
Their efforts were “aimed at the British public, called upon to strengthen the ranks of the movement to put an end to the migratory phenomenon”, the ministry said.<\/p>\n
The 10 British nationals are prohibited from entering and residing in France.<\/p>\n
French Interior Minister Laurent Nu\u00f1ez said in a post on X that France’s “rule of law is non-negotiable; actions that are violent in nature or incite hatred have no place on our territory”.<\/p>\n
Raise the Colours said it had not received any formal notification of France’s measure but understood the ban was against “specific individuals, rather than the organisation as a whole”.<\/p>\n
The group described itself as a “grassroots movement for unity and patriotism” involved in a UK flag-raising campaign and that it had documented events in northern France around “illegal Channel crossings”.<\/p>\n
Its website stated that it did not support “vigilante behaviour, unauthorised activity, or attempts by individuals to take the law into their own hands”.<\/p>\n