France to begin intercepting small boats in English Channel after British demands
France has agreed to begin intercepting migrant vessels in the Channel, after an extended period of pressure from the United Kingdom.
This policy shift follows the Prime Minister wrote to the French leader urging him to back the plan and stating there presently "have no effective preventive measure" in the Channel.
French maritime police will be allowed to stop the small boats at sea, but exclusively prior to they've picked up their migrants, according to authoritative confirmation.
French police have infrequently intervened to stop the overcrowded boats leaving the shoreline because it is viewed as too great a risk to both officers and individuals.
"It is essential that we deploy these tactics this period... We have no effective prevention in the Channel."
Now, a French maritime police representative states officers will begin intervening at sea, with the objective of safeguarding human life.
Notably, the spokesperson ruled out the use of entanglement devices to intercept boats, which had earlier been suggested as a potential technique to snarl the engines of the boats.
The decision to intervene at all is a major step forward, coming after a brief shift towards a more aggressive approach this summer, which ceased when the previous Interior Minister left government.
That was highlighted in the summer month, in the run-up to a summit between the Prime Minister and French president, when authorities were witnessed walking into the sea to damage the sides of a boat.
Currently French officials will once more be allowed to intercept boats before they pick up migrant passengers from the coastal areas of northern France, however it's not clear how the small boats will be stopped.
Strong winds are currently postponing the commencement of interceptions and the human trafficking networks will be looking for methods to adjust to evade interception, as they have frequently done in the past.
The Home Office and Downing Street have been contacted for comment.
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- Why Britain can't just return migrants to French territory
- French government backing away from pledge to stop migrant boats
UK immigration
Channel crossings
Border security
