RNLI lifeboat crews targeted by anti-migration protest intimidation

The head of the Charity Commission, Dame Julia Unwin, has condemned the “thuggery and intimidation” directed at Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) volunteers during anti-migration protests. Speaking at the commission’s annual public meeting, Unwin described the targeting of charity workers as “para-criminal abuse” and warned against the “normalisation of violence” in public discourse.

The RNLI recently had to temporarily pause services in Portsmouth after volunteers were targeted online. Following an incident on September 6 where crews assisted approximately 120 migrants to shore, images of the volunteers were shared on social media alongside accusations of being complicit in an “invasion.”

While Unwin noted that charities must be prepared to face vigorous debate and disapproval regarding their work, she emphasized that the RNLI’s duty is to rescue people in peril at sea. She urged the sector to tolerate differences of opinion without succumbing to criminal behavior.