Headlines
France bans 10 British far-right activists that sought to destroy migrant boats
Published by Global Banking and Finance Review
Posted on January 14, 2026
Global Banking and Finance Review
Company
Published by Global Banking and Finance Review
Posted on January 14, 2026
By Louise Rasmussen and Muvija M
PARIS, Jan 14 (Reuters) - France's interior ministry said on Wednesday it has banned 10 British far-right activists from entering or staying in the country, after they carried out actions deemed to incite violence and seriously disturb public order on French territory.
The activists, identified as members of a group called "Raise the Colours" that was involved in a national flag-raising campaign, seek to find and destroy boats used to carry migrants and spread propaganda on France's northern coast calling on the British public to stop migration, the French interior ministry said in a statement.
"Our rule of law is non-negotiable, violent or hate-inciting actions have no place on our territory," French Interior Minister Laurent Nunez wrote on social media platform X on Wednesday.
The ministry said it was informed of the group's activities in December and that it had referred the matter to the relevant authorities, as the actions were likely to cause "serious disturbances" to public order.
It declined to give further details on how many boats the group had destroyed and how it was disseminating its propaganda.
MIGRATION A FOCAL POINT FOR BRITISH VOTERS
"Raise the Colours" said it had not received any formal notifaction of France's measure and said the statement concerned specific individuals rather than the group as a whole.
"The organisation does not support violence or any unlawful activity," it said in an emailed statement.
The group describes itself as a grassroots movement that began in the central English city of Birmingham, when a small group started tying national flags to lampposts in a show of national pride. It says the effort has since spread across the UK.
The display of the red-and-white St George's Cross for England and the Union Jack for Britain has prompted concern among some migrant communities as a reflection of rising anti‑immigration sentiment in the country, coinciding with a wave of protests outside hotels housing asylum seekers last year.
The British Foreign Office did not immediately respond to Reuters' request for comment.
The crossings of small boats carrying migrants from France, the most visible sign of arrivals, has become a focal point for British voters and has helped propel Nigel Farage's right-wing, anti-immigration Reform UK party, into a commanding opinion poll lead.
Farage last year in London met the leader of French far-right National Rally (RN) party, Jordan Bardella, who has accused France of being too soft on immigration.
(Reporting by Louise Rasmussen in Paris and Muvija M in London, Editing by Aidan Lewis and Hugh Lawson)
Immigration is the process of moving to a country to live there permanently or for an extended period. It often involves legal processes and regulations that vary by country.
Economic growth is an increase in the production of goods and services in an economy over a period. It is often measured by the rise in Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
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