France will start stopping small boats in Channel after UK pressure
French officials have consented to start intercepting migrant vessels in the Channel, following months of pressure from the United Kingdom.
The change in policy comes after the Prime Minister sent a letter to the French leader urging him to support the initiative and stating there currently "lack any effective preventive measure" in the Channel.
French security forces have been authorized to stop the migrant vessels at sea, but exclusively prior to they've picked up their passengers, according to official statements.
French police have rarely acted to prevent the heavily loaded boats departing from the shoreline because it is considered excessively high a risk to both personnel and individuals.
"It is crucial that we deploy these methods this month... We have zero effective deterrent in the Channel waters."
Now, a French naval police representative says personnel will begin intervening at sea, with the objective of protecting human life.
Significantly, the official excluded the use of entanglement devices to intercept boats, which had previously been suggested as a potential technique to disable the engines of the vessels.
The decision to intervene at all is a major step forward, coming after a brief shift towards a stricter strategy this warmer season, which dropped off when the former Interior Minister left government.
This was demonstrated in the summer month, preceding a meeting between the UK leader and President, when French police were witnessed walking into the sea to slash the sides of a boat.
Now French officials will once more be permitted to stop boats prior to they collect asylum-seeking passengers from the coastal areas of France's north coast, although it's not clear how the small boats will be prevented.
Strong winds are currently postponing the start of intervention operations and the human trafficking networks will be seeking methods to adjust to avoid detection, as they have done so often in the past.
UK immigration authorities and Downing Street have been approached for response.
Connected Developments
- Reasons UK cannot just send back migrants to France
- French government withdrawing from commitment to intercept migrant boats
UK immigration
Channel crossings
Border security
