Why the far-right is accusing British lifeboat volunteers of treason

Early September can be a challenging period for Britain’s coastguards as beachgoers try to stretch out the last days of the summer season. But this year an unlikely new obstacle stands in the way of lifeboat volunteers working along England’s southern coastline: the far-right. Volunteers from the UK’s Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI), a largely donation-funded charity, have faced a torrent of abuse in recent days, as well as allegations of treason, after helping migrants to safety over the weekend amid major anti-immigration protests. Peter Sparkes, the organization’s CEO, said such abuse was “wholly unacceptable in a civilised society,” and vowed to continue helping “whoever needs our help.” The backlash comes as anti-immigrant sentiments bubble to the surface in some parts of the country – despite the number of migrants crossing the English Channel in small boats falling to its lowest level since 2020, according to the Home Office. Hundreds of balaclava-wearing protesters clashed with police on Sunday night in the coastal city of Portsmouth, southern England, after a small boat carrying migrants was brought into Langstone Harbour. A similar protest unfolded in Dover on Saturday, with groups of masked men dressed in black shouting “stop the boats.” In Portsmouth, a group of far-right agitators first attempted to stop lifeboats from bringing the migrants onshore before seeking to block buses from taking the asylum seekers to a processing facility. The protest appeared to be organized by a group called the Patriot Platform, led by Daniel Thomas, a former associate of the anti-Islamic, far-right political activist Tommy Robinson. British Policing Minister Sarah Jones said Monday that the RNLI acted “under the direction” of the British coastguard to meet the boat, which was carrying approximately 120 people, and take it into the Portsmouth area. “A group of more than 200 protesters arrived at the harbour, intending to block three coaches which were due to take the arrivals for processing,” Jones said. As a result of the RNLI’s involvement, its staff have faced a wave of online abuse and, in the worst cases, physical abuse, according to the organization, with posts on social media calling them “traitors.” “These two helped facilitate the invasion of Britain last night,” one social media user posted on X, while sharing images of RNLI volunteers. “I don’t know how they can look themselves in the mirror.” Rumors are also being spread that asylum seekers are being housed on RNLI premises, something the organization has dismissed as “completely baseless and untrue.” “Recent events have generated deliberate misinformation and a misunderstanding about the RNLI – our purpose, our tasking, and particularly our lifesaving work in the Channel,” Sparkes said. Volunteers have been told they can choose not to wear RNLI branded clothing when representing the charity in public if it makes them feel safer, according to the BBC. “No one who is putting themselves in harm’s way – in which to save lives – should be subject to any level of abuse, and we are working with the RNLI to make sure they are supported,” a Downing Street spokesperson said. A very small percentage of RNLI’s total rescue work is focused on the English Channel, according to Sparkes, with most migrants rescued in the area picked up by the UK Border Force. “Illegal immigration is a political issue; the RNLI exists to save lives at sea,” he said on Tuesday. “We will always answer the call, whoever needs our help.”