France to begin intercepting small boats in English Channel following UK pressure
France has agreed to start stopping migrant vessels in the English Channel, after an extended period of pressure from the UK.
This policy shift follows the British leader wrote to the President urging him to support the initiative and stating there currently "have no effective deterrent" in the maritime passage.
French security forces have been authorized to intercept the small boats at sea, but exclusively prior to they've picked up their migrants, according to authoritative confirmation.
French police have infrequently acted to prevent the heavily loaded boats departing from the shoreline because it is considered too great a danger to both officers and civilians.
"It is essential that we deploy these tactics this month... We have zero effective deterrent in the Channel."
Currently, a French naval police spokesperson states personnel will begin intervening at sea, with the aim of protecting human life.
Notably, the spokesperson excluded the use of nets to intercept boats, which had previously been suggested as a possible method to snarl the propellers of the vessels.
The decision to intervene at all is a significant step forward, coming after a short-lived shift towards a more aggressive strategy this summer, which ceased when the former Interior Minister departed from government.
This was demonstrated in July, in the run-up to a summit between the Prime Minister and French president, when French police were observed wading into the sea to damage the sides of a vessel.
Currently French officials will once more be allowed to stop boats before they collect asylum-seeking individuals from the beaches of northern France, however it's uncertain how the vessels will be stopped.
Powerful gusts are currently postponing the start of intervention operations and the people-smuggling gangs will be seeking ways to adjust to avoid interception, as they have done so often in the previous instances.
UK immigration authorities and Downing Street have been approached for response.
Related Updates
- Why UK can't just return asylum seekers to France
- French government withdrawing from pledge to intercept migrant boats
UK immigration
Channel crossings
Border security
