French organizations and authorities accused of assisting migrant boat crossings

Reports and footage from the English Channel coast have raised questions regarding the role of French organizations and authorities in migrant crossings to the United Kingdom.

Footage filmed near Boulogne-sur-Mer by the outlet Voxpopuli shows volunteers from the association Opal’Exil assisting children onto small boats. The report notes that volunteers appeared to remove their high-visibility tabards when they noticed they were being filmed. Opal’Exil responded to the allegations by stating that anonymous accounts have been posting racist and xenophobic messages on its social media platforms.

In a separate incident in Normandy, reports describe French maritime volunteers from the SNSM providing support to a migrant vessel. The vessel, carrying approximately 60 people, reportedly traveled for 36 hours along the coast toward Varaville, where additional migrants boarded. The reports suggest that maritime authorities and lifeguards provided assistance, including handing out lifejackets, as the boat prepared for its journey.