a day ago
French police TEAR GAS migrants and enter the water to drag them back to shore but are overwhelmed by sheer numbers as more boats head for Britain
French police used tear gas and pepper spray to disperse hundreds of migrants looking to board boats headed for Britain, while some officers were seen entering the water and dragging them back to shore.
Pictures on Friday showed what appeared to be tear gas being launched at migrants at Gravelines, near Calais, with large white clouds of smoke seen billowing in the air.
Other images showed asylum seekers standing knee-deep in the water, with police officers, wearing helmets and holding shields, following them into the sea to drag them back to shore.
But ultimately, French officers were said to have been overwhelmed by the sheer number of people attempting to clamber onto the small boats.
The tactic used by French police appeared to be a change in approach from earlier this week.
Just days ago, nearly a dozen officers equipped with anti-riot gear watched as asylum seekers boarded boats bound for Britain.
When asked by broadcaster Sky News why they did not intervene, one officer said: 'It's for their safety. There are children there. We are not going to throw grenades at them.'
A record number of migrants have left the northern french coastline and arrived in the UK so far this year, with figures surpassing the 15,000 mark.
The UK government has vowed to crackdown on people smugglers and illegal migration, with Chancellor Rachel Reeves announcing as part of the government's spending review on Wednesday that the Border Security Command would be funded up to £280m more per year by the end of the review period in 2028-2029.
The latest images from Calais come as people smugglers have been reported to be adopting a dangerous new tactic of simultaneously launching multiple small boats at once to try and dodge French police, officials warn.
EU border agency Frontex said in an official updated that traffickers were adapting their methods in an attempt to boost the number of successful crossings.
It said the tactic of 'simultaneous departures' was putting more lives at risk by overwhelming search and rescue teams.
The risk is being compounded by smugglers packing more migrants into flimsy dinghies, with 54 people per boat in the year ending March 2025 compared with 50 in 2024, according to Home Office figures.
Channel crossings have continued this week, with pictures showing new arrivals wearing life jackets being brought to shore in a Border Force boat in Dover, Kent and being driven away from the port.
They are the first to make the journey to the UK so far this month after a record first five months of the year bringing the provisional total so far to 14,812 arrivals.
This has also surpassed the highest total recorded for the first six months of the year, which was previously 13,489 on June 30 last year.
