The Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) has had a \u201csignificant\u201d boost in donations since becoming a target of far-right agitators protesting over small boat crossings.<\/p>\n
The charity\u2019s staff and volunteers have been subjected to \u201conline and physical abuse\u201d after involvement in a rescue on Sunday in which a dinghy carrying asylum seekers was brought into Portsmouth.<\/p>\n
RNLI vice-president Sir Robin Knox-Johnston condemned the intimidation as \u201cfrankly quite disgraceful\u201d, amid calls by far-right protesters for people to stop donating.<\/p>\n
An RNLI spokesperson said: \u2018We\u2019ve seen a significant increase in the number of donations we have received this week, and we\u2019ve welcomed a number of new supporters to our charity.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs always, we\u2019re so grateful for the support we receive from our amazing supporters, without them we would not be able to deliver our vital lifesaving service. Sadly, we have also been contacted by a number of supporters and members of the public who have informed us that they wish to withdraw their support in recent days.<\/p>\n
\u201cEveryone at the RNLI remains focused on our core purpose of saving lives at sea.\u201d<\/p>\n
The charity has increased security measures and said it would continue to rescue those in danger in the Channel.<\/p>\n
After lifeboats took 120 asylum seekers intercepted off the Isle of Wight to Eastney in Langstone Harbour on Sunday, some crew members were targeted by protesters, with their photos and names shared in posts on social media.<\/p>\n
On Wednesday evening, dozens of Dorset police<\/a> officers were posted outside the charity\u2019s headquarters in Poole as about 50 people gathered to protest against the RNLI\u2019s involvement.<\/p>\n Hampshire police have been patrolling RNLI sites, while the Sussex force was investigating \u201coffensive and threatening\u201d remarks made on social media.<\/p>\n On Friday, Poole Old Lifeboat Museum said it had made the decision to close after several incidents of \u201cprotesters verbally assaulting our volunteers\u201d, the BBC reported.<\/a><\/p>\n Knox-Johnston said of the charity being targeted: \u201cLike many supporters of the RNLI, I am very angry about it because they are picking on the wrong people.<\/p>\n \u201cThese are volunteers who risk their lives to go out and save anyone at sea\u201d Knox-Johnson, the first solo sailor to circumnavigate the world non-stop, told BBC Radio Solent. \u201cWhat people don\u2019t seem to understand is the RNLI don\u2019t go out looking for people \u2013 they only go out when specifically asked by the coastguard, whose job is safety of life at sea \u2013 regardless of nationality.<\/p>\n \u201cThey are doing their job, they are saying there are people whose lives are in danger \u2013 RNLI please can you send a boat and remove the risk.<\/p>\n \u201cIf you want this to stop the government have got to stop it, but picking on RNLI crews who are doing the job they are trained to do is frankly quite disgraceful.\u201d<\/p>\n The RNLI has advised volunteers that they should consider not wearing RNLI branded clothing if they feel this might put them at risk. They have also been advised that they should feel empowered to close RNLI shops or lifeboat stations if they feel in danger.<\/p>\n Volunteers have been asked to challenge people near lifeboat stations if they do not have ID, but advised not to engage with members of the public and asked to explain the RNLI\u2019s actions.<\/p>\n