France has taken the significant step of banning ten British far-right activists from its territory, accusing them of actively sabotaging small boats used by migrants attempting to cross the English Channel.
Entry Ban for 'Raise the Colours' Members
The French Interior Ministry confirmed on Wednesday, 14 January 2026, that the prohibition order was enacted the previous day. It targets identified militants from the British group known as 'Raise the Colours', preventing them from entering or remaining in France.
The ministry stated that members of this anti-migrant organisation have been "actively seeking out and destroying vessels" utilised on the critical migration route from northern France to Britain. Beyond physical sabotage, the group was also engaged in propaganda activities along the French coastline, aimed at recruiting from the British public to bolster their movement.
A Thorn in UK-France Relations
The issue of cross-Channel migration continues to strain relations between London and Paris and remains a deeply divisive topic in British politics. The French ministry did not name the ten individuals but identified them as key militants who carried out actions on French soil.
According to UK Home Office figures, more than 41,000 people made the perilous crossing in small boats last year. This marked an increase from 2024 but was lower than the 2022 record of over 45,000 arrivals.
Crackdown on Smuggling Networks
This ban coincides with a wider international crackdown on the criminal networks facilitating the crossings. In a related development, a major supplier of small boats and engines was jailed on 7 January 2026.
Adem Savas, a 45-year-old Turkish national, was sentenced to 11 years in prison and fined 400,000 euros by a Belgian court following a joint operation between the UK's National Crime Agency (NCA) and Belgian authorities. The NCA believes Savas supplied equipment used in around half of all Channel crossings in 2023, marking him as a key figure in European people-smuggling circles.
The French government's decisive action to ban the activists underscores its commitment to maintaining order on its northern coast and tackling all factors—from criminal gangs to vigilante groups—that complicate the highly sensitive issue of Channel migration.
