Five British men travelling in a Mad Max-style van have been deported from France after confronting migrants in Dunkirk. French police said the suspects were allegedly found with tear gas bombs when they were arrested.
The group, who were banned from northern France for six months and ordered to pay €500 each to a migrant aid organisation, were detained over the weekend in a holding centre. They were deported back to the UK on Sunday.
Battle Bus incident
Their van, called the Battle Bus, has a roll cage added to reinforce the windows. On the ferry over the Channel, one of them can be heard saying: 'It's like Mad Max – belting'.
One of the group, identified as Anthony Barnes, filmed himself threatening a group of a dozen migrants waiting at a port. He said: 'I'll fold you clean in half, geez. And kick you in that river. Yeh put that life jacket on cos you will need it.'
Arrest and charges
Reacting, the group of young men stood up, with one appearing to throw a stone at him as he ran away. He was then arrested by French police.
Regional prosecutors said the group were broadcasting live on social media 'images intended to illustrate acts of intimidation' against migrants trying to reach the UK. Authorities said they were placed in police custody and have been accused of 'taking part in a group formed with a view to preparing violence against persons and for transporting category D weapons without legitimate reason'.
'The state does not tolerate such actions conducive to hatred and violence from anyone,' the prefecture said in its statement.
Channel crossings continue
Nearly 1,000 migrants have crossed the Channel to the UK in two days after a three-week pause in arrivals. Some 671 people in nine boats made the journey to Britain on Friday, when footage captured a man wielding a knife as he threatened migrants before boarding a dinghy.
One man was seen moving towards a boat holding a knife while in waist-deep water, and a man aboard the boat tried to hit him with a boot. As the man in the water drew his arm back, he appeared to drop the knife into the sea and moments later he boarded the UK-bound boat. A call of 'I will kill you' was heard as French rescue boats hovered in the background just a short distance away.
Several children were among a large group of people wearing life-jackets who were brought ashore in Dover, Kent, as better weather brought calmer crossing conditions.
