Liberal Democrat MP Josh Babarinde has urged the public to "love our lifeboats" and donate to the RNLI after volunteers were abused by protesters and hit by a data breach. Speaking on BBC Question Time, he condemned those who intimidate volunteer lifeboat crews, calling them "pathetic, un-patriotic and un-british".
Protests and abuse of RNLI crews
Hundreds of balaclava-clad protesters descended on Dover and Portsmouth overnight on September 6, vowing to stop migrants from leaving the port. RNLI crews were labelled as traitors online by far-right thugs for rescuing asylum seekers in the Channel and bringing a dinghy to safety in Portsmouth, Hants.
On the programme, Conservative shadow work and pensions secretary Helen Whately said: "a vigilante justice approach to it I'm certain is the wrong way." When host Fiona Bruce asked if she condemned the protesters, Whately replied: "I don't want to see threatening behaviour, peaceful protests is one thing threatening protests, no that is not ok."
Plea from Josh Babarinde
Josh Babarinde said: "Its one thing to protest it's another thing to intimidate and abuse our volunteer lifeboat crews, these are people who put their lives on the line for us and anyone who should get in their way is pathetic, un-patriotic and un-british we're a country that prides ourselves in bringing people together. We are a country that thought we banished hate and division some time ago and these folks only seek to threaten that."
He added: "Love our lifeboats, donate to the RNLI, stand up to this division by helping to support their work going forward."
Cyber-attack on supporter data
Volunteers for the organisation were told their data may have been stolen by hackers - just days after they suffered online and physical abuse for rescuing 120 migrants from a dinghy in the English Channel. Online security experts warned that the identities of RNLI members could have been leaked after a cyber-attack on a third-party software provider.
In a letter accompanying the autumn copy of its Lifeboat magazine, the charity warned supporters that their "name, contact details and records of interactions with the RNLI" could have been breached in the raid on Beacon CRM. The RNLI said it was advised last month by the provider to "assume that data held within its systems was taken" in a cyber-attack that affected around 1,500 charities in late July.
"At this stage we're not aware of any misuse of your personal information and have no evidence that your information has been published or shared," the charity added. The RNLI has suspended its services in Portsmouth since its staff were subjected to relentless abuse and branded "traitors" by anti-migrant protesters.
Peter Sparkes, the charity's chief executive, condemned abuse of its volunteers as "wholly unacceptable in civilised society", adding that the RNLI worked to save lives at sea irrespective of whose they are. BBC Question Time returns on Thursday October 1 in North London and Thursday October 8 in Peterlee.
