British ‘patriots’ banned from France for stopping small boat migrants | World | News

A group of 10 British “far-right activists” who travelled to northern France to try to disrupt small boat crossings have been banned from entering the country, the French interior minister has said. The individuals, linked to the Raise the Colours group, were barred after allegedly searching for and destroying small boats and carrying out propaganda activities along the French coast.

A statement shared by interior minister Laurent Nunez on X said the actions were aimed primarily at a British audience and sought to recruit supporters to “put an end to the migratory phenomenon”. The French interior ministry said the restrictions had been under consideration since December, warning that the group’s activities were “liable to cause serious disturbances to public order”.

Mr Nunez added on X: “Our rule of law is non-negotiable; actions of a violent nature or that incite hatred have no place on our territory.”

Raise the Colours, which describes itself as a “grassroots movement of unity and patriotism”, said it had not received formal notification of the ban and understood it to apply to named individuals rather than the organisation itself.

The group first gained attention for encouraging the widespread flying of Union and St George’s Cross flags across the UK, but its website also highlights members filming events in northern France and posting the footage online.

In a statement, it said: “Raise the Colours has always maintained that its activities must remain peaceful and within the law.

“The organisation does not support violence or any unlawful activity.

“Our approach is founded on responsibility, restraint, and compliance with legal frameworks.”

Home Office figures show 41,472 migrants crossed the English Channel to the UK in 2025, the second-highest annual total on record.

So far this year, 32 people have arrived after making the crossing, all of them in a single boat during freezing conditions on January 5.

The Home Office has been contacted for comment.